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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.
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The post offices can start by not closing from 1-2:15 every day. This is when everyone else is on lunch too; it makes no sense. This could potentially be their busiest time…
+ 1 billion…only in Ireland!
Would be nice if they just stuck with posting mail only too. Sometimes I need to queue for 20-30 mins to post a letter because of everyone else collecting social welfare payments and or paying bills. Stick with post only, banks and government public offices should be used for paying bills and social welfare etc!
60million could be saved if payments were made in post offices? How much does it cost now to collect this money? Unbelievable!!!
Unfortunately it’s very believable, joined up thinking has gone out the window.
It’s all reactive stuff with no leadership.
We have a country run by committee.
Its common knowledge that a camel is a horse designed by a committee.
Can you imagine the q the place taking on motor tax renewals.. Jeses Christ they even have a panic attack when you want to pay a bill by laser card…
Anything that takes power away from banks has to be good !
There are 10 people a week killing themselves officially, alot more unofficially.at the moment the government are not really concerned with these ‘losses’! As it shows a drop in unemployment numbers.
Shutting post offices will add to depression that’s already out there!
Anyone ready for a march yet? Nope,a well as long as your ok so…
Are you really saying the government are encouraging suicide to reduce unemployment? Have you got your tinfoil hat on?
That’s a remarkable statment!!
You obviously have nothing better to do and yet you still don’t educate yourself a little better so as to prevent yourself making comments like this
Spoken like a true public servant.I’m saying there not doing enough to prevent it.!
I know the government is useless when it come’s to the poor the low paid what you are posting is pie in the sky and nonsense
Not at all nonsense,I kid you not the suicide rate in this country is going through the roof and f##k all is been done about it! But you can argue all day with me if ya want, but argue with your local TD instead.
Nobody is disagreeing with that point, Bob.
We are disagreeing with your theory that the government are not doing enough to reduce the suicide rate because it results in a drop in unemployment numbers. That’s the point in your argument where you appear bat-sh!t insane.
If its a good idea and can save money and jobs . Then you can bet your life it won’t be done . Its the Irish way
Unfortunately… It’s too little too late, all of the above should and will eventually be moved to online services to save the country money.
How is my granny going to deal with online payments? The post office provides a valuable social service as well as a practical service. If elderly people are not picking up pensions on the post office how will they get them? Most small towns don’t have a bank. Pension day is a social outing for many rural people where they meet their neighbours and catch up on news. They can also pay their bills at the post office while they are there. If they are pushed to banking they will be completely marginalised and forced to rely on others to bring them to bank etc. also don’t forget that banks charge govt huge money for processing all these payments also. And where is the tender for providing banking services to government departments? And who checks if they are overcharging government departments. We all know how they have overcharged ordinary consumers over the years….
The country doesn’t need to spend millions subsidising a redundant service so your Granny can have a social club, give me a break.
Why do they need to ‘collect’ their pension, even with no internet knowledge all of the above can be done with wire transfers and phones.
In fairness, there’s not a lot you can’t do in the post offices, I use a lot of their billpay services, very handy IMO. I think it’s a matter of picking your time to go to the post office, try not to get caught up in dole / pension queues :-)
If a choice between proper broadband in rural areas or local post offices then rural people really would have a realistic option. Putting services online is the way to go but a lot of work required first.
If the post offices want to survive then they should give a service. Closing for an hour and forcing long queues for the simplest of services drives people away from post offices. Most of their services they want brought into the the post offices are available on line. As soon as they find an way of paying for postage without having to queue for ages beside out of service machines to wait for a surly employee to get a stamp.
The sooner their are gone the better.
Our local post office doesn’t close for lunch – I don’t know any that do anymore. I do know that our local aib branch and local garda station both close for lunch every day. Post offices used to years ago but that has changed. They also open on Saturdays unlike most banks…
Like the lines ain’t big enuf :/
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