Post office users to fight threat of 550 closures

A national movement aimed at fighting the threat to the future of rural post offices is to be launched in the West tonight.

The development is aimed at co-ordinating the efforts of communities across the country who fear that up to 550 post offices will face closure under reorganisation plans of An Post.

Organisers believe An Post will ‘pick off’ individual post office opposition groups but that combined and concerted opposition offers the best prospect of preserving local services.

A Grant Thornton report on the post office network earlier this year predicted the loss of 557 branches if the social welfare payment contract is lost.

Michael Kilgannon, a former Galway county councillor, stressed the national opposition plan was being driven by users rather than by postmasters or anyone employed in the network.

lThe meeting takes place in Ballinasloe tonight and will seek to establish an executive and put in place plans for a nominal membership of €2.50 per person to establish a fund to defray expenses involved in the campaign.