O' Connell calls for reopening of Duncormick Post Office

The Chairperson of County Wexford Sinn Féin has reiterated his party's call for the reopening of the village post office in Duncormick.  Oisin O' Connell, who visited the closed post office with Cllr Anthony Kelly last week, said that its continued closure was causing huge inconvenience for locals and was putting massive strain on small businesses in the area.

"Duncormick Post Office was closed without warning fourteen months ago," Mr O' Connell said.  "No explanation has ever been given by An Post.  The closure has had a shocking effect on the area.  Local businesses have seen a massive fall in custom since the post office was closed proving that it was the lifeblood of the local community."

"While visiting the village last weekend with Cllr Anthony Kelly, I was stunned by how much of an inconvenience this closure has caused to the local community.  Publican John Sinnott, whose business joins the now empty post office told me that local elderly residents have to book a taxi to travel up to eight miles to get to their next nearest post office in Bridgetown to draw their old age pension."

"The parish of Rathangan is the third largest in the diocese of Ferns and has no post office.  The neighbouring parishes of Kilmore and Bannow have three and two respectively.  Duncormick itself had a post office for one hundred and sixty years until the unexpected closure in May 2012."

"The loss of Duncormick's post office is another clear example of the erosion of services currently being witnessed across rural Ireland.  It is unacceptable that people on benefits have to hire a taxi to go collect them.  It's unacceptable that struggling rate paying businesses are sent to the wall because government services are being withdrawn from the local area.  It's unacceptable that Duncormick has gone fourteen months without these basic services or any explanation as to why they have been removed."