Fears have been expressed that further post office closures are coming down the line for Clare.
An Post has confirmed that over 160 post masters and mistresses across the country have accepted redundancy packages, 6 of those in this county.
But Clare’s Fine Gael Oireachtas members are now being called on to fight to save them.
Anger has been expressed in six communities in West and North Clare, set to see their post offices close.
An Post hasn’t offically named the branches involved by says they’re due to the voluntary retirement of post masters.
Here, however, it’s known that outlets in Cooraclare, Cree, Doonbeg, Kilfenora, Lissycasey and Craggagh-Fanore are to shut.
The company is defending the moves – Managing Director of An Post Retail, Debbie Byrne, insists the disruption for customers will be minimal.
Now, it’s feared that this is just the beginning of a long line of closures.
Meelick Fianna Fáil Councillor Cathal Crowe was among those who campaigned to save the Cratloe and Broadford post offices a number of years ago, and he says any losses will have a devastating effect on local communities.
He’s calling on Clare’s Fine Gael Oireachtas members to fight to save Clare’s Post Offices.
Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway doesn’t believe that the majority of these businesses could have been saved.
But he insists that it doesn’t mean that every one of these communities has to lose it’s post offices service.
