The post office network must continue to modernise to provide services customers require, Minister for Communications
Pat Rabbitte
told the Dáil.
He said An Post had undertaken a programme of capital investment, especially in the computerisation of the network, including the automation of all post offices.
“As a result, the post office network stands well positioned to become the front-office provider of choice for Government and the financial services sector for both electronic transactions as well as the more traditional over-the- counter transactions,’’ the Minister said.
Mr Rabbitte repeated that there was no Government plan to close post offices, adding that the decline in post office numbers had, in fact, been arrested.
Figures in the Grant Thornton report commissioned by the Irish Postmasters' Union showed that, although there were 197 closures between 2006 and 2010, from the end of 2010 to date there had been just 17.
Fianna Fáil spokesman on communications Michael Moynihan said the importance of the network could not be overstated. "The Irish Postmasters' Union is very concerned about any threat to post offices, including issues concerning their closure,'' he added. "It is time we examined the post office network, which is a trusted high street brand.''
