Elderly will suffer if Post Office closes it’s doors
By Brendan Grehan
THE ELDERLY will suffer if Dodsboro Post Office closes its doors in October, a local Councillor has claimed. Councillor Ruth Nolan was speaking after a demonstration outside Dodsboro Post Office.
The demonstration was calling for the post office to remain open and was attended by a number of local councillors and residents.
Over 1500 people have signed the petition calling for Dodsboro Post Office to remain open.
As it stands it is not clear what will happen in October when the current postmaster retires.
The possible closure is part of last month’s announcement from An Post that as part of its Post Office Transformation Programme and €50m investment in the Post Office network, 161 postmasters have applied for the Company’s voluntary retirement package, resulting from the recent ground-breaking agreement with the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU).
This will result in the closure of 161 post offices out of a network of 1,111 post offices.
Cllr Nolan said: “As of Tuesday, over 1500 people have signed our petition. The demonstration was very well supported by the local community who want the post office to remain open.”
She added: “ I gather now that the plan is to relocate the post office to Super Valu which will be a bigger and more profitable site.”
A Source told The Echo that the Dodsboro Post Office was a profitable location but that An Post want to move the post office to a location with more footfall.”
Cllr Nolan said: “If the post office closes the elderly will suffer as many rely on it to collect their pensions and and for other services. Nothing is confirmed but a rumour persists that An Post will move the post office to Supervalu.
“This should be about more than profits. People are entitled to have the services of a post office in their locality.”
The Echo contacted An Post for a comment but they did respond before the paper went to press.
