Postmasters across the county have said that the Government needs “to act quickly and decisively” in order to keep Post Offices open.
Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) Dublin spokesperson Tony Wall (Ushers Quay Post Office) said that a Government financial intervention must be in place by this June to keep branches open.
“The question is who will provide financial services to communities, such as those where Bank of Ireland branches are to close, if Post Offices do not get Government support in time?”
Wall said that the Covid-19 pandemic has made the running of Post Offices even more challenging and the proposed reduction in Postmasters payments rates from July 1, will further compound the problem.
“The challenge faced is related to the delay in providing new Government services which have been promised since 2018, but are only now being seriously examined.”
Last week, Minister of State for Postal Services Hildegarde Naughton announced the establishment of a new inter-departmental group to examine how the Government can direct more business towards the Post Office network.
“This is too late. There is a cliff-face in front of the Post Office network that is coming this July. Decisions need to have been made and actions taken before then,” he said.
“While the IPU welcomes additional banking services which Post Offices will provide, such as following the Bank of Ireland branch closures announcement, this can only happen if there is a network there to provide it.”
A report commissioned from business advisors Grant Thornton, and published last September, warned of ‘unrestrained Post Office closures’ after June 2021.
Its analysis recommended an annual Public Service Obligation (PSO) of €17million, which it said would represent value for money for the State.
Wall said that the IPU had been invited to attend the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Networks tomorrow morning – Tuesday, March 16.
“The IPU will recommend that an annual Government retainer payment be put in place from this summer with a commitment among all parties to expand the range of services provided as much as possible and urgently.
“In 2018 a national plan for the Post Office Network was launched giving a commitment to services within three kilometres in urban areas and 15km, or a community of 500 people, in all rural areas.
“To deliver on this policy, an underpinning Government retainer is needed,” says Wall.
Post Offices are run by Postmasters who are independent providers of the network under contract to An Post.
There are currently 888 Postmaster and 45 An Post operated Post Offices in the country.