POSTMASTERS yesterday an- nounced plans to develop an alliance of social organisations to campaign for a national policy to protect local post offices.
The recent annual conference of the Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) heard the St Vincent de Paul and Archbishop of Cashel call for the Government to recognise the social value of post offices.
The conference had heard that the network was in serious decline. There were now 1,200 offices, following 500 closures in the past eight years.
The postmasters yesterday launched a two-week radio advertising campaign which highlights the benefits of using the post office such as collecting social welfare with a new electronic swipe card, paying all household and Visa bills in one location and using Western Union money transfer and Passport Express.
The IPU general secretary, John Kane, said the union had got a clear signal that there was strong support across many sectors for a policy to maintain a suitable post office network.
"It has become clear to us that the major organisations concerned with social issues recognise the social value of post offices, and want action from Government to protect their future.
"As an alliance we will develop a joint position on these issues, and then jointly lobby Government to take the necessary measures to secure a future for localised post office services across the country."
The IPU said that, unlike the majority of EU countries, Ireland does not have a Government policy on specific minimum requirements in relation to network size and coverage.
"This ambiguity allows politicians to 'fully support' the principle of the retention of post offices while at the same time not actually doing anything about it.
"The absence of a policy position by the Government, and a structured approach by An Post, are two of the main threats to the current network.
"The reality is that if the Government continues to do nothing the network as a localised service will collapse by default in a number of years," said Mr Kane.
The Government is currently reviewing the delivery of social welfare payments, and a decision is awaited.