Clendennen calls for new approach to protect rural post offices

Fine Gael TD for Offaly, John Clendennen, has called for a renewed national focus on protecting rural post office services.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Clendennen said that when a post office closes, the consequences extend far beyond the loss of a simple service point.

“The closure of a post office has a real social and economic impact on rural communities. It removes an important place of interaction and connection for people, particularly older residents, and it reduces footfall for other local businesses such as shops, pubs and community facilities,” he said.

Deputy Clendennen acknowledged the strong position of An Post as a modern business, noting that it has successfully adapted to changing market conditions.

“An Post today is a billion-euro business and has shown remarkable resilience in recent years. Its parcel network has grown significantly, particularly as other competitors have struggled or exited the market. In many ways it has proven to be a case of survival of the fittest.”

However, Deputy Clendennen said the strength of An Post should now be used to ensure rural communities are not left behind.

“An Post cannot turn its back on rural Ireland. As banks continue to withdraw services from towns and villages, there is a real opportunity for An Post to play a greater role in providing access to cash and basic financial services within our communities.”

He also said innovation would be key to maintaining services in areas where traditional post office models may no longer be viable.

“With the growth of the circular economy and online platforms such as Vinted, along with the huge increase in parcel deliveries and returns, there is no reason why An Post cannot re-establish a presence in communities where closures have occurred.

“There is an opportunity to introduce new models such as kiosks, parcel depots and transaction portals that would allow people to continue accessing postal and financial services locally.”

Deputy Clendennen also called for the introduction of a structured succession and training programme to support individuals who may wish to take on a post office when an existing postmaster is preparing to retire.

“We need to create a clear pathway for someone who wants to take on a post office in their community. A succession training plan would help ensure services are maintained rather than disappearing when a postmaster retires.”

Deputy Clendennen concluded by calling for a national commitment to halt the steady decline in post office numbers.

“The question we should be asking is simple: when will we have a year in Ireland without the closure of a single post office? That should be the ambition, and it should be a firm commitment from An Post.”