A meeting held yesterday (Thursday ) between the Save Knockmore Post Office committee, An Post and Oireachtas members is offering new hope for the future of the facility, according to Mayo Fine Gael TD, Michelle Mulherin.
An Post have now agreed a further meeting with the stakeholders in Knockmore Resource Centre to take place on Monday week, (April 16 ), to discuss the issue with locals.
The Post Office was due to close at the end of April, but following the meeting there is now some hope that it’s postal area covering over 900 houses, can be saved.
Deputy Michelle Mulherin stated: “I am delighted at last An Post have met with myself and other Oireachtas members and members of the committee of the Save Knockmore Post Office Campaign through the Western Area Manager, Aidan O’Donnell and Aengus Laverty. I am satisfied an excellent case has been made to An Post Management for the retention of the facility in the interest of the community of Knockmore to retain its Post Office services while at the same time addressing the business concerns of An Post. While it is unfortunate that An Post made the decision to close without notice or consultation to the community or elected public representatives, I have no doubt that at the meeting An Post got to see the retention of the Post Office in a new light.
“The case made to An Post included the possibility of growing the services of the Post Office in the area as well as providing the service on different business terms with a new operator. An Post has now agreed to discuss the matter further and to digest the submissions and proposals put forward to them today and have agreed to meet again on April 16 next at Knockmore Resource Centre.
“I wish to commend very much the Save Knockmore Post Office Campaign under the chairmanship of Michael Rochford and stewardship of local councillor Seamus Weir for the tremendous work they have put into the various surveys carried out in the community and the proposals and business plan put to An Post. Together we will continue to fight on for the retention of Knockmore Post Office.”
Dep Mulherin’s Fine Gael Dáil colleague Dep John O’Mahony has called for the CEO of An Post to come before An Oireachtas committee on the issue of the closure of rural post offices.
He said “I have become particularly concerned about the lack of local consultation before certain post offices are closed. The current state of play seems to be that post offices in many rural villages are being closed down at very short notices, often when the local postmaster retires. Given the integral role of post offices in the life of the town, these announcements come as a great shock to the local community.
