Large scale job losses and cutbacks of 1,500 redundancies at An Post and the 2,000 job cuts at eircom amount to “yet another attack on rural Ireland”.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson and Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív, who said these job losses and the closure of local AIB branches, come as “a major blow to communities right across the west of Ireland”.
The Galway West TD has accused Fine Gael and Labour of having ‘no strategy whatsoever’ for the protection of rural communities. “Since coming into office, the coalition has actively pursued policies that have already had a damaging effect on rural communities,” he said.
He pointed to decisions at national level of the closure and downgrading of small Garda stations, cuts to small schools, bed closures at community hospitals and nursing homes, cuts to community health resources, cuts to rural transport links and the closure of local amenities like bank branches and post office, as evidence.
Dep Ó Cuív said the closure of local post offices and bank branches means the removal of yet more local services from and the loss of local jobs.
“We need to support communities and encourage growth instead of making things even more difficult for families and local businesses,” he said. “The Government’s attack on rural Ireland must stop.”
