Nolan calls for action to preserve post office in Kinnitty

Independent TD Carol Nolan has said she is engaging with An Post and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, as part of her efforts to preserve a Post Office service in Kinnitty. The existing Post Office is expected to close this Autumn when the current post mistress retires.

Deputy Nolan said that the failure of An Post to offer sufficiently attractive incentives and a viable economic support package has led to a lack of interest in applications for the role, adding "this is a situation that must be immediately reversed".

“Kinnitty has suffered from one social and economic blow after another in recent years with the closure of a number of retail services; due in no small part to the punitive tax policies pursued by this Government,” Deputy Nolan said.

“Now we have the real possibility of a complete absence of post office service from the area, which is totally unacceptable.”

“We are basically seeing the continuation of the An Post policy that saw its offices in Moneygall, Walsh Island, Mount Lucas, Pullough and Geashill confronting closure orders in 2018.

“What is truly galling about the Kinnitty situation is that is so clearly flies in the face of the rhetoric we hear from Government and indeed An Post, who have been putting forward so called Transformation Agreement plans since 2018.”

“Indeed, we know that rural post offices in particular have been begging Government to ensure that all potential business activities previously identified by the 2020 Grant Thornton Report, the former Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications and the Post Office Network Business Development Group be implemented.”

“Government and An Post have to start matching words with actions. Only this last week I was contacted by An Post informing me of its ‘Responsible Divestment Protocol’ and its commitment to measures to prevent prolonged vacancies, thus maintaining community vibrancy.”

“Kinnitty offers An Post a real opportunity to practice what it preaches by guaranteeing a clear commitment to establish a new and vibrant post office in the village,” concluded Deputy Nolan.