Communications Minister Denis Naughten has denied being “spooked” into closing rural post offices by his officials, and said he has received Government approval to investigate the possibility of providing more services through the An Post network.

Fine Gael ministers have told the Taoiseach they are worried about being portrayed as an “anti-rural” party because of proposed post office closures.

A local community group has signalled its intention to fight to retain their post offices, even as the communications minister defended the slew of impending closures announced this week.

An 84-year-old postmaster says he won’t take a severance package from An Post because closing his post office could sound the death knell for his rural community.