McGrath calls on Fianna Fáil to step up to the plate and intervene on proposed rural Post Office closures
Independent TD for Tipperary, Mattie McGrath has called on the Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD, Jackie Cahill and the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party to intervene on plans by An Post to close up to eight Post Offices in rural parts of Tipperary.
Commenting on the confirmation today that up to eight Post Offices are to close in Tipperary, Deputy McGrath said, “While I fully understand and recognise the tremendous service and dedication of all Post Mistresses and Post Masters throughout their years of service to their individual communities and who are indeed entitled to retire, we need to see a plan put in place.
This must facilitate what we have been calling for over the last several years, namely a location where alternative people and/or businesses can continue to administer the needs of the many people in our rural communities who, on a daily basis, use their local Post Office as an area to connect, receive their payments, pay certain bills and use as a point of social interaction.
I am calling on Fianna Fáil to now, use their influence as a prop-up for what is a Minority Government, to call on Fine Gael and the supporters of Government to ensure that there will be no rural community left without a Postal Office.
Following this announcement today, words and commitments at public meetings are no longer good enough. Though the Rural Independent Groupings Dáil Motion was unanimously supported by members of the Dáil, we have regrettably seen no action whatsoever by the current Government to implement a robust extension of services to ensure the future viability of the Post Office network as we outlined and which has occurred in many other Countries in Europe.
It is therefore a sad indictment of this current Government and those who support them at Parliamentary level that they continue to fail to recognise and realise that their ongoing policies continue to hit those who are most vulnerable in our rural communities, many of whom have built our society.
Ultimately, those who support this Government, in whatever role and who claim to champion the cause of rural Ireland need to look deeply into their conscience,” concluded Deputy McGrath.