According to Irish Rural Link (IRL) – the national network of rural community groups –  the closure of Postbank exposes rural post offices to further pressure.

Irish Rural Link Chief Executive Seamus Boland said “Postbank was a venture to diversify and strengthen the post office network and its loss risks undermining rural post offices who benefited from increased footfall and transactions as customers used the service. Postbank’s closure must not lead An Post to renege on its commitment to computerising all post offices by this summer as this gives rural post offices opportunities to grow their business.”

Mr. Boland concluded “An Post is one of the only post offices in Europe that does not have a social mandate. Recently we’ve seen bus routes abandoned and threats hanging over rural schools and Garda stations. We need to think seriously about what a public service means and Government must meet the commitments to accessible, equitable public services for rural households set out in the white paper on rural development.”

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