Garda escorts for postmen after shooting

POSTMEN delivering mail in two estates in Finglas will have Garda protection on their rounds tomorrow after one postal worker was shot in the back with a pellet gun.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) which represents postal workers confirmed yesterday that letters would only be delivered in the Cloonlara and Fairlawn estates with a Garda escort.

The same precautions will be taken on Monday morning ahead of a meeting between members of the CWU, An Post and local residents, following the shooting of Paul Corrigan last Monday.

An Post confirmed a wider meeting involving staff, community, Garda and An Post representatives is scheduled for Tuesday next.

Mr Corrigan, 43, was shot in the back by a pellet gun as he left the Cloonlara estate, but managed to drive back to base before being treated in the Mater Hospital where he underwent an X-ray and was told he was lucky the pellet discharge had not hit his spine.

He was said last night to be badly shaken by the incident, which has left him with severe bruising. It is the most serious attack on a postal worker for some time.

Following the incident postal services were withdrawn from the two areas in Finglas, affecting 200 households.

Locals have been able to collect their post from the sorting office in Finglas, but no rounds have been made and when they resume tomorrow they will only do so with a Garda escort until the meeting next week.

A CWU spokesperson said Monday’s attack was an “isolated incident” which was “unprovoked and unexpected”.

It is understood there had not been any attacks on postal workers in the area before last Monday’s incident.

Gardaí are investigating the shooting incident, while the CWU has appealed to any local person with knowledge of who may have shot Mr Corrigan to come forward.

A spokesperson for An Post said: “We view this as a very serious incident. It is the first incident of this kind on this route or in the Finglas area and attacks on postal staff are very rare.”