Support declared for rural post offices in Laois
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The Government is being urged to urgently protect community post offices in the wake of further warnings from the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) that more closures are inevitable in Laois unless state intervention is put in place.
Senator Fiona O’Loughlin of Fianna Fáil has committed to working in Leinster House to ensure that Laois keeps its 14 remaining post offices.
“The post office is considered to be at the heart of local communities both rural and urban providing vital services to its customers,” she said.
“I will raise concerns over the threat of more post office closures in Laois. Our Post Office network must be valued for the role it plays in Irish life and the essential service it provides. The services are vital to rural towns and to people living in rural areas,” said the former TD for South Kildare which now takes in Portarlington and other parts of Laois and Offaly.
Concern over inevitable closure of more Laois Post Offices
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The Government is being urged to urgently protect community post offices in the wake of further warnings from the Irish Postmasters’ Union that more closures are inevitable in Laois unless state intervention is put in place.
Kildare Senator Fiona O’Loughlin whose area covers Portarlington, has stated that she will be using her voice at Oireachtas level to ensure that Laois keeps it’s 14 remaining post offices.
“The post office is considered to be at the heart of local communities both rural and urban providing vital services to its customers,” she said.
Ongoing Government inaction blamed for threat to An Post services tippfm.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tippfm.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A Donegal TD says it s vital that the government respond immediately to Irish Postmasters Union demands for a Public Service Obligation to ensure the survival of the post office network, particularly in rural Ireland.
Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn was speaking after the IPU s General Secretary warned a Dail committee yesterday that if a PSO or some other funding mechanism isn t in place by June, then up to 200 rural post offices could close.
Deputy MacLochlainn said in 2018, Fianna Fail supported calls for a PSO, and it s now time to deliver:
Up to 200 post offices could face closure in next 12 - 18 months, postmasters claim Oireachtas committee told postmasters could lose up to €10,000 following ending of payments in June
Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 15:33
Up to 200 post offices are likely to close over the next 12 to 18 months in the absence of new State financial support, postmasters have warned.
Ned O’Hara, general secretary of the Irish Postmasters Union, told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks that those most at risk of closing were larger outlets in the cities which were “the backbone of the network”.
He said this was because larger post officers tended to face higher rents and running costs.