eCommerce plan ‘would shut post offices’

If the Government moves to electronic payments as part of its eCommerce strategy, it could close large swathes of the country’s post offices, according to a new report.

A study completed by consultancy firm Grant Thornton, and commissioned by the Irish Postmasters’ Union, found that if An Post lost the contract to make weekly social welfare payments, then 557 of the 1,150 national network of post offices would close by 2017.

An Post has a two-year contract to provide weekly social welfare payments with a possibility of a further four years after that period.