Irish Rural Link has expressed concern on the news of a voluntary retirement scheme brokered between An Post and the Postmasters Union.
The scheme could lead to the closure of a number of post offices around the country, particularly in rural Ireland where less viable businesses would not be replaced by An Post.
Louise Lennon, policy and communications officer with Irish Rural Link, was speaking on RTE Radio 1’s Morning Ireland this morning (Thursday, August 2) on the matter.
“It’s concerning for us; the post office is still at the heart of a lot of rural communities and a lot of the smaller towns and villages, so we are concerned with closures of these.
Then also the impact it will have on other businesses in the village or town and then as a whole on the village and town as well.
According to Morning Ireland presenter Audrey Carville, An Post issued a statement last night aiming to ensure that communities of 500 people and over will have a post office within their community; everyone in rural Ireland will be within 15km of at least one post office.
It was also noted that there would be no compulsory closures.
Fears
Lennon expressed fears that, while such a move is not compulsory, a number of postmasters may fear that if they don’t take such an offer now, in a few years’ time there would be no such compensation available.
She added: “We would be concerned with the distance of 15km; that’s fine if someone has a car but – as a lot of older people now or people with disabilities who would be the main users, [a post office] in a nearby town would be difficult for them to access.”
When questioned on what An Post is supposed to do if postmasters in businesses which are no longer viable want out, the Irish Rural Link representative said: “I know they’re looking at restructuring the whole post office system.
“We welcome that as well and I know that it needs to move as well with the times, but it needs to start linking in with other departments.”
“That’s another issue as well so, while they’re closing, we would be looking for maybe one to be open – for maybe a shop in the area to take it on, so that even the village itself can stay alive.”