Sending a bad message to rural areas

The closures of post offices would be unacceptable and another blow to what remains of rural Ireland, where banks, garda stations and health clinics have closed.

The post office is a focal point for communities and their closure would increase pressure on dwellers in rural areas with no public transport. The social aspect of the post office should be considered by government, because the post offices are at the heart of towns and villages.

The local post masters provide a personal service that will be lost when they will be forced to close their doors. It is unacceptable that older people and people with disabilities may be forced to travel long distances to join the lengthening queues at banks to receive their social welfare payments and pensions. They also face extra charges and a customer service that is deplorable. It is the elderly and the less fortunate who are continually being targeted and the closure of the post office is another aspect of this. Their closure will increase isolation and loneliness. In many areas, the only shop is attached to the post office and, sometimes, is the only social interaction that many older people have in the week. Therefore, the wider implication of post office closures should be examined, as a priority. Such closures would also result in many job losses. The banks played a major part in destroying this country — the people were forced to bail them out at an enormous cost — yet it is government policy to get the banks back on their feet at any cost, so that they can get their ‘AAA’ ratings back. They are doing this by directing more business towards the banks, killing off what life is left in rural towns and villages. This might be the most anti-rural government we have had in this country.