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Pringle: Our post offices need State protection and support
- Updated: 18th November 2024
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said rural post offices must be protected and supported for the vital public services they provide our rural communities in Donegal and across the country.
Deputy Pringle said: “We have seen too many post offices closing in Donegal and other parts of the country – another sign that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not appreciate the vital role that local post offices play in our communities.
“Our post offices need long-term government investment to secure the future of these essential local services. Post offices provide a valuable public service and should be treated that way.
“I have always been a strong advocate for maximising the potential of our post office network to provide a wide range of services to the public. We need a government that recognises and supports this potential and makes sure rural post offices stay open and stay available to the people they serve.
“As the Irish Postmasters’ Union have noted themselves, the post office is also one of the last institutions to provide face-to-face service, five and a half days a week. That opportunity for social engagement is another very important contribution they make to our communities.
“When post offices are closed, when suddenly the nearest post office is miles away from a rural community, people without transport are left without access to these services. If we are serious about supporting our rural communities, we must support our post offices.
“We need a government that understands the impact of post office closures on our rural communities, and one that will provide the long-term investment needed to keep them open and serving the public,” he said.
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