Union: 550 post offices at risk

UP TO half of the country’s 1,100 post offices will be forced to close if An Post loses the contract for making social welfare payments, the Irish Postmasters’ Union has said.

IPU general secretary Brian McGann said that the post office network would be “decimated” and hundreds of job lost if the Department of Social Protection pushes ahead with plans to put the welfare payments contract out to tender.

The future of the contract is currently being considered by the Department of Social Protection and a decision is expected shortly.