The impending closure of 159 post offices, including 11 in Co. Mayo, will devastate small rural communities. The Sinn Féin Dáil Motion now provides TDs from all parties and none with an opportunity to speak as one and stop these closures.
Local post office branches in Mayo are a vital element in the sustainability of many small towns, villages and communities. But our rural post office network has been under sustained attack in recent years starting with Fianna Fáil who oversaw the closure of hundreds of rural post offices when in government.
Sinn Féin supports the campaign to retain local postal services across Ireland. As a first step additional financial and statutory services should be delivered through the post office. But, we also require a fundamental policy change and a rethink about how services are delivered to and for rural Ireland.
With our Dáil motion, Sinn Féin is calling time on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s attack on Rural Ireland. The proposed post office closures announced this week must be resisted or they will be followed by others. Rural Ireland cannot take much more. It is time for us to shout ‘Stop!
