Deputy Joe McHugh
FINE Gael deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed a decision to review postal services in order to retain them across the state.
Commenting on the issue of Post Offices today DeputyMcHugh said: “There is no doubt that the postal service in Ireland plays a vital role in communities, and that this role is magnified even more so in rural communities. The local post office is more often than not located in the heart and hub of local towns and villages and can act as a social venue for those who are in more isolated areas, like farmers, for example.
“This Government is committed to the long-term viability of An Post and figures I had requested from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources highlight that over the last three years, there have been 17 post office closures. While any closures are regrettable and we are doing our very best to avoid them, the fact that there were 72 closures in 2010 alone highlights the very serious issue facing postal services throughout Ireland.
“I have been working closely with An Post and my colleagues on the ground, meeting with Postmasters from around Co. Donegal, including Fanad, Milford and Dunfanaghy, a group from Bunbeg in Dublin, and a group in the Inishowen Peninsula.
“I worked closely with the Greencastle Community and Fine Gael Councillor Mickey Doherty in successfully retaining a twelve month extension to the postal service in the area. I also attended a public meeting in Carrigart, addressing concerns regarding the retention of Carrigart and Downings post offices.
“I very strongly welcome the Government’s announcement that there is to be a cross-departmental group established to review what role the state can play in ensuring the future and success of our postal services. This will encourage all Government Departments to seriously pursue the potential of a payments service in respect of each of their Departments.
“While we must acknowledge that with the ever-changing face of communication and the mediums by which we connect with people, that the traditional make up of post offices is not feasible in the long-term. We also need to acknowledge that there has been a serious drop in the volume of mail being sent by people and as with most things, post offices must adapt and find new purposes for their very important and sustainable role in society.
“There are a number of actions which could be taken that I believe could add to the strength and role of post offices throughout Ireland. For example, Bank of Ireland’s UK entity has been an exclusive partner to the Post Office in the UK and has been providing financial services and products to customers since 2003. This partnership has, according to the bank “become one of the UK’s fastest growing financial service providers with almost three million customers and a savings book of £18 billion and the leading supplier of foreign exchange in the marketplace.
“There is no reason why something similar couldn’t work here in Ireland. I understand that some of these financial services and transactions can be complex and there are legacy issues regarding trust in banks that the UK is not facing. However we need to explore these avenues which are having very positive effects on the UK Postal service to see if they can be tailored to suit the Irish market. An alliance between post offices and customer banking/ financial services has the real potential to strengthen the offerings of post offices around the country while allowing customers financial options which would not be otherwise available to them without having to travel further.
“Another possibility could involve post offices taking responsibility for all driver license issuing. In Co. Donegal, for example, many people are finding it difficult to renew their driver’s licenses as they now have to travel to Letterkenny or Donegal Town, since the cross over to the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) came into effect. Alternatively this service could be offered through a local Post Office, saving people time and money while increasing the responsibility of the postal service.
Fine Gael Councillor Noel McBride, reiterated: “It is not the policy of this Government to see closures of any post offices. I welcome the ongoing debate because it leaves the door wide open to everyone to submit suggestions and ideas around ensuring that the vital role post offices have, particularly in rural communities like ours where quite often, the post office is at the hub of the village or town.
“I have been working closely with Deputy McHugh on this issue and I intend to continue working closely with the Council and my Fine Gael colleagues in finding solutions to successfully address the challenges facing post offices as a result in decline of postage mail that will enforce the long-term viability of an essential part of local communities.”
Concluding, Deputy McHugh, “I think it’s important to highlight that it is not in anyone’s interest to see Post Offices closing down and the Government have repeated their commitment to ensuring the viability of as many Post Offices as possible. The Postmasters in local offices have long played a vital role in the community and we want to ensure that this tradition continues into the future, while adapting to its surroundings and changes in how people communicate with each other.”
