Appeals to reverse post office closure

Cork county councillors are seeking an urgent meeting with the chief executive of An Post to discuss its decision to close a post office in a thriving village in West Cork.

An Post recently decided to close its branch in Leap, which came as a major shock to locals who were trying to keep it open.

The company said people could use other branches nearby, such as Skibbereen. But according to councillors, this has put an unfair burden on pensioners, in particular, who do not have their own transport.

Independent councillors Declan Hurley and Michael Collins raised the issue at a meeting of the council’s western committee.

Mr Collins got unanimous support from colleagues when he said the council should look for a meeting with the An Post chief executive and persuade him to reverse the decision.

Cllr Noel O’Donovan (FG) described the decision “as nothing short of disgraceful”. “A number of new businesses have opened in Leap recently, it is bucking the trend.”

Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) criticised local Oireachtas members for not doing enough to keep it open and said they should have intervened and spoken directly to the An Post chief executive.

Cllr Margaret Murphy-O’Mahony (FF), said that she had worked in a post office services for a number of years.

She suggested that the community get together with a business plan and produce guarantees that people would collect their pensions or pay utility bills at Leap post office.

Some councillors are hoping Leap could be thrown a lifeline under a new Government-backed business development group, which is being set up to support the future of the post office network.

The announcement was made last Friday by the minister of state Joe McHugh, who said the Cabinet had approved the establishment of a dedicated group to examine opportunities to deliver more government and commercial business through post offices.