An Post or Department must offer revised terms to enable retention of last post office in the Waterford Gaeltacht - MEP Kelleher

Fianna Fáil MEP for Ireland South, Billy Kelleher has said that An Post or the Department of the Gaeltacht must increase the financial offer to prospective post office operators if they actually want to retain services in rural and vulnerable communities like our Gaeltacht communities.

Kelleher was commenting as the last post office in Gaeltacht na nDéíse, in An Rinn, in Co. Waterford was set to close as a commercial agreement between An Post and a possible replacement operated could not be reached.

“The closure of the last post office in this stunning Gaeltacht community is a real travesty.

“Cuireann an cinneadh seo an t-uafás díomá orm. Iarraim ar an Phost iarracht níos mó a dhéanamh chun an tseirbhís seo a coimeád ar oscailt" a deir Kelleher.

“We all know the importance of a post office in a rural community, but for a Gaeltacht community, it is a fundamental encroachment on their viability as a community committed to living through the Irish language.

“We will now see Irish speakers forced to leave their local community, travel 12km to their nearest post office, and be forced to communicate in a language that is not their first choice.

“Are we actually serious about protecting, preserving and expanding the Irish language in this country, or is it just something companies such as An Post pay lip service to during Seachtain na Gaeilge every March?

“The importance of keeping a post office operational in a community such as Gaeltacht na nDéise cannot be solely a financial calculation.

“An Post need to go back to the potential new operator and offer a revised, more realistic proposal.

“Is keeping this last post office in the Gaeltacht not worth spending an extra €20,000 a year? I believe it is. If An Post won’t step up, then the Department of the Gaeltacht must assist, ” concluded Kelleher.

-ENDS-