A BILL DRAFTED by rural TDs including Michael Healy-Rae and Mattie McGrath wants the Dáil to promise to protect post offices.

The Private Members Motion will be debated on Wednesday and will seek to have the Dáil recognise that “post offices serve a vital social and economic role in their communities”.

The bill also wants the Dáil to recognise the post offices “have had their income and footfall greatly reduced”.

The rural TDs are also calling on the government to implement a new “community banking service operated by An Post” modelled on community banks in New Zealand and Germany.

This plan would be paid for by a “once-off Capital Investment Fund” that would also allow for “the further modernisation of the post office network”

The bill also wants the government to follow through on its pledge in the Programme for Partnership Government to look at whether post offices would act as a “one-stop-shop for government services”.

Sam Boal Sam Boal

Micheal Healy-Rae says that if passed the bill would be “the first major recognition of our Post Offices”.

“I look forward to our group receiving support from the government, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and other independents,” the Kerry TD said this evening.

If this will happen, it will be the first major recognition of our Post Offices throughout the country and the important social and economic role they play in their communities.

What do you think, Do we need to invest more in our post office network?

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