Finglas Post Office under threat of closure

ANOTHER Northside post office is facing imminent closure as the deadline for interested submissions to An Post to take it over closes this week.

The potential closure of the post office in Finglas Village Centre would compound the village’s neglect and have a serious knock-on effect on other businesses.

An Post extended its deadline for expressions of interest on the back of requests from local representatives who are desperately urging entrepreneurs to take up the running of postal services in the area. However, it’s now a last ditch effort and a matter of urgency as the deadline closes on March 19.

A person with retail and business development skills is required and a premises must be provided.

If the village post office closes, residents will have to travel to Clearwater or Charlestown for their postal services.

Sean Mooney of the Finglas Village Renewal Committee, a group set up to encourage business and growth in the area, warned that the “heart of the village would be torn out” if the post office closed.

“We have been working to regenerate the village through filling potholes, painting shutters and generally trying to make the village attractive to consumers and potential businesses,” he said.

“A lot of businesses will close if the office closes because they depend on those who collect pensions and welfare payments spending their money locally. The potential loss to the community will be devastating.

?

Local TD Roisin Shortall (Lab) says it’s vital that the post office is kept in the village, as it can’t afford to lose any more vital services.

“This is an opportunity for an existing business to take on and provide an additional service,

? she told Northside People.

“Alternatively, it might suit someone who wants to set up a new business locally in an existing premises.

“Either way, it is vital that the post office stays local in the village to ensure the money that customers collect at the post office stays local too.

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A joint statement issued by Deputy John Lyons (Lab) and Cllr John Redmond (Lab) outlined the importance of maintaining the post office in the area.

“While An Post will make this decision independently, our position is clear: Finglas needs a post office to serve its customers in the area and to draw business into the village,

? the statement read.

“Business people we have talked to have said the post office is a huge draw that their shops benefit from and depend on.

“If the post office is lost, it would be a huge blow to the village and the businesses and jobs in it.

?

A spokesperson for An Post confirmed that it is looking for expressions of interest for the provision of post office services in Finglas.

“It is open to anybody to put forward their business case,

? he told Northside People.

The original closing date for expressions of interest was to be Monday March 11. However, after representations to An Post, they have extended this to Tuesday March 19.

For more information visit www.anpost.ie