“Next year could see countless local Post Offices close their door forever if the government does not take immediate action and act upon calls recently published in a Grant Thornton report which predicts a major loss in revenues for Post Offices.”
That’s the warning from Deputy Michael Healy Rae who was commenting on the recently published report which warned that an annual Public Service Obligation (PSO) for the Post Office Network of €17m is needed to save the Irish Post Office network.
Stark Warnings
The report which warns starkly of the need for this action to be taken within months as the Post Office Network faces significant levels of unrestrained closures by the end of 2021.
It has led the Kerry deputy to attack the government for its failure to act upon a commitment that was made to him and Tipperary Deputy Mattie McGrath in 2016 when both TDs were successful in passing a private members motion on the Post Office Network.
Viable And Valid Alternative
“Four years ago myself and Mattie McGrath TD put forward a viable and valid alternative approach to the development of An Post services and the maintenance of all current post offices as a critical part of communities.
“All that has happened was they were ignored despite the record of the house showing that these proposals were fully supported.
Urban and Rural Offices will Close
“And now we find ourselves even a step further back from then with peoples livelihoods going to be taken from them with rural communities once again being thrown to the wolves.
“The report states that the financial viability and sustainability of the Network is challenged like never before in its history.
“Many local Post Offices, large and small, urban and rural, will likely be forced to close if the financial conditions under which they operate do not change in the short-term,” said Deputy Healy Rae.
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