Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Page 48 of the programme for Government states that the Government would establish a working group to identify the potential for local post offices to act as hubs to facilitate other services, such as health, transport and a one-stop shop for Government services. Unfortunately we have seen what has happened since that. In my constituency 11 post offices are listed for closure. We all know that people are retiring and that some post offices are not viable. However, some of those 11 post offices are viable.

I am referring to Gurteen and Ballinfull in County Sligo, which set up local committees which surveyed the areas and confirmed without doubt, based on An Post criteria, that these post offices are viable. They have appealed to the review body and have requested the findings of that review body, but they have been refused that. We live in an era of openness and transparency and it is extremely wrong that these people have not been given the findings of that review. I ask the Minister to ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, to instruct An Post to issue those findings to these voluntary groups that have worked extremely hard.

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