Communications Minister Denis Naughten has rejected the closure of 159 post offices will be detrimental to rural Ireland, insisting post offices have to be viable.

An Post has published the locations of 160 post offices which are set to close under its consolidation plans.

15 food businesses were issued with Enforcement Orders in July for breaches of food safety legislation.

An Post is defending its move to close more than 160 post offices nationwide.

Ireland will not be affected by the decision to close more than 90 Carphone Warehouse shops this year.

The closures will affect its clothing and home stores, which have underperformed for several years.

Rodent infestation and dirty premises were among the reasons for the breaches of food safety legislation.

Postmasters have said they are upset and worried over reports that the scale of post office closures being planned may be far greater than previously thought.

SPECULATIVE reports that in the region of 80 rural post offices are earmarked for closure have been resoundedly refuted by An Post which says it is conducting a review of the network.

Eleven food business have been given closure notices by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) during the month of August.

Thousands of State-run nursing home beds face closure because of poor accommodation standards.

There are fears for Irish jobs following revelations that 60 B&Q stores in the UK and Ireland are to close.

There will be no further closure of post offices, schools or Garda stations in rural Ireland.

The Irish Postmasters’ Union campaign demanding that the Government produce an action plan to ensure the sustainability of the Post Office network will continue tonight with a public rally in Co Clare.