Postmasters point to uncertain future for rural post offices

The Irish Postmasters' Union has highlighted what it claims is the crisis in the post office network.

Over 300 post masters nationwide will gather in Thurles later today to address the uncertainty over the future of the rural post office.

With 400 post offices having closed in recent years and more set to close, the days of the rural post office look to be numbered.

General Secretary of the Irish Postmasters' Union, John Kane says action is needed if the postal network is to survive.

“If the network is not tackled in terms of someone putting the parts right very quickly, the network will disappear in the next five or ten years”, said Mr Kane

“We feel the local post offices are an integral part of the social fabric of the community and in our view it’s important and that it be preserved and indeed strengthened.

“But unfortunately the opposite is happening”, he added.