THERE ARE 1,150 Post Offices around the country, but  they are in danger of becoming extinct if the government doesn’t do more to support them.

That’s the message coming from the Irish Postmasters’ Union’s annual conference this weekend in Killiney. Co Dublin.

The President of the Irish Postmasters’ Union, Sean Maher, said they have asked the government repeatedly for more business to be put through Post Offices to prevent more closures.

“The processing of motor tax renewals, hospital charges, water charges, business rates and other government services could be done in Post Offices. This makes sense in a number of ways. It makes the system of payments more accessible, more efficient and cost effective but it also makes eminent business sense,” said Maher.

The IPU commissioned Grant Thornton to independently assess what savings could be made if they were given more government business. It found that in the case of motor tax renewals alone, €60 million of savings could be achieved.

Bank of Ireland was also called upon by the IPU to roll out bank accounts with An Post, in line with its decision to do so in the UK. While the IPU welcomed the announcement that BOI is to pilot a scheme in the UK, with a roll-out in 2014 where it and the Post Office will offer bank accounts to its customers, it feels the same situation should occur here.

“We serve 1.7 million customers every week. They know and trust the Post Office and its staff,” said Maher.

Read: Call for BOI to introduce bank accounts with An Post>

More: Post office raiders dug in through wall of derelict hotel>