Minister tries to allay postmasters’ fears on closures

The Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey has tried to allay the fears of local postmasters around the country.

Mr Dempsey said that An Post is back in profit but that the company has to make even more changes to meet the challenges posed by new technology.

He is calling on postmasters to use the strength of the post office network to develop in new business.

The Minister was speaking at the annual conference of the Postmasters' Union, where it was warning that hundreds more post offices could face closure within the next year or two.

General Secretary John Kane said that some postmasters are surviving on incomes as low as €8,000 a year.