More funding needed to support our post offices – Lynch

The Minister for Postal Services must provide much needed funding to the Post Office Network to ensure that rural post offices are not lost, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Cork North-West Senator Eileen Lynch said that the social aspect of post offices is hugely important for people in rural areas and cannot be lost.

“The 2025 Grant Thornton report which was carried out by the Irish Postmasters’ Union has revealed that €15 million needs to be invested every year for the next 5 years in our postal network, otherwise one-third of our rural post offices risk facing closure. This is a yearly increase of €5 million on what the Post Office Network currently receive,” Senator Lynch said.

“The post office has long been more than just a place to buy a stamp or collect a parcel. In communities across the country, and especially in rural parishes, the local post office is a lifeline – a financial service, a social hub, a connection to the State and community.

“The Grant Thornton report notes: ‘The current financial model is unsustainable. Without increased government support, up to one-third of rural post offices are at risk of closure by the end of 2026.’

“For many in these communities, the post office is the only place they interact with the State – to collect their pension, pay a bill or access basic banking services. When these post offices are under threat, so too is the fabric of rural life.

“The Post Office Network has in recent years been suffering as elderly postmasters retire and there is no one able to take them over. We cannot let post offices which are surviving fail due to lack of investment.

“The network has 933 branches, of which 888 are run by independent postmasters who operate as small businesses. They employ about 1,400 people across the country and play a vital role in keeping rural Ireland alive.

“The Grant Thornton report also highlights how post offices are uniquely placed to support Government objectives – from promoting financial inclusion to delivering public services in areas where the State has little other physical presence. We can look at allocating extra functions to our post offices, our post offices want to do more.

“The Government must seriously consider the stark findings of the report. The cost of supporting our post office network is small compared to the cost of losing what it provides. I urge Minister McConalogue to take heed of the 2025 Grant Thornton findings, and to respond with a commitment to help.”