Postmasters launch election campaign with first candidate

The first of eight "post office candidates" is to launch her bid for the Dáil today.

Seona O'Fegan is standing as a Post Office candidate in Galway West. She is the Postmistress at Barna and Fr. Griffin Road Post Offices in Galway city.

The Irish Postmasters Union voted to run candidates in the general election at their annual conference in Kilkenny at the beginning of May, amid a number of changes to the system.

At the time, the union said post offices were "the heart of local communities", but were being closed down consistently. Ahead of their conference, they called for the public to switch away from electronic funds transfer for social welfare payments to collecting payments at their local post office.

O'Fegan thinks her campaign to keep post offices open will connect with voters.

"Really, we deal with all social age groups across the population, so I'd anticipate it would have a very broad appeal," she said.

"Through my work as a Postmistress, every day I listen to and discuss the concerns and needs of people. What I hear very strongly is a need for greater Government support for vibrant communities, where people can access the essential services they require and can do their day-to-day business."

"As a candidate I am not just about the Post Office. If elected, I will work for stronger policy, and more investment, in each of the areas that make communities vibrant – schools, health services, transport and jobs."

The Post Office network employs approximately 3,700 people nationwide.