An Post has confirmed it will relocate its Rathmines branch by September, paving the way for the sale of one of the most prominent buildings in the South Dublin suburb.
It is understood that the post office will move to a Centra store in the locality.
The move is part of a plan for six post offices, three in Dublin, to become contractor-run operations.
At present, 95 per cent of the country’s offices are already contracted out to independent business owners, who often run post office services as part of a local shop.
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An Post said the Rathmines post office will move to a “bright, modern purpose-fitted post office ... just a short distance from the present location”.
However, there has been local opposition to the move and concern expressed for the future of the original 1932 art deco building. This will be placed on the market in line with An Post’s “responsible asset divestment protocol”, which aims to identify “the most beneficial uses for buildings in the next phase of their life cycle”.
Part of this protocol included an agreement with Monaghan County Council to purchase the original Clones Post Office in 2016, which now operates as an artists’ studio and gallery facility.
An Post confirmed in February that it will only put buildings on the market “when the new location is open” and there would be “no break in services”.
Labour leader and local TD Ivana Bacik said the building should be kept “in community use”, adding “the State should not be selling the family silver”.
She called on Minister for Communications Patrick Donovan and Minister for Expenditure Jack Chambers to “give our community their word that they will not sign off on the sale”.
She noted that while she was advocating for “creative and collaborative solutions” to keeping the building operating, “the news that moving the service may take place in a matter of months, and the sale of the building may take place soon thereafter, means we must now up the ante”.
A demonstration will be held on June 21st by local activists and users of the service against the move of the service and planned sale of the building.
