The confirmed closure of 17 post offices across the county will have a detrimental impact on rural Donegal according to Sinn Féin Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.
An Post today published a list of post offices to close including Ballyliffin, Ballymagan, Brinlack, Bunbeg, Burnfoot, Burtonport, Churchill, Culdaff, Culkeeny, Dunaff, Dunfanaghy, Dunkineely, Gortahork, Kindrum, Meenaneary, Quigley’s Point and Rossnakill.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said “Rural Donegal is losing jobs and basic services. Much of the county is without basic modern communications with the National Broadband Plan in such a mess.
“These 17 closures will have a detrimental impact. There is only so much rural Donegal can take.
“Whilst we understand this is a voluntary retirement scheme backed by the Irish Postmasters Union, the government has shown no interest in keeping our post office network alive and viable.”
He said that Sinn Féin has said previously that alternatives to revitalise our post office network are available.
He added “Post offices have the potential to become community hubs, providing government and local services and we should look at small scale banking similar to that in operation in New Zealand.
“Unfortunately successive governments, under both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, have decided that our post office network is not worth saving which is why we have today’s announcement from An Post.”
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