Rescue package needed for rural post offices in budget - TD
The leader of Independent Ireland, Michael Collins has called on the government to include a rescue package for rural post offices in Budget 2026.
The Cork SouthWest TD warned that without immediate intervention hundreds of local post offices across the country could face closure.
Deputy Collins said his office has been contacted by concerned postmasters and postmistresses from rural communities who are “crying out for support” and facing "impossible financial strain".
“In too many parts of the country, the local post office is the heart of the village.
"It’s not just a place to buy a stamp or send a parcel – it’s where pensioners tax their cars, top up their phones, pay bills, and sometimes just drop in for a chat.
"For many older people living alone, it’s one of the few regular points of social contact they have," he said.
A recent report published by the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) found that Ireland’s post office network requires a strategic investment of €15 million per year over five years to secure essential community services.
The report, produced by Grant Thornton, estimated the social and economic value of the post office network at somewhere between €344 million and €776 million per year.
However, Deputy Collins said that rising costs – including wage increases and inflation – have left many smaller offices "operating on a knife-edge".
“Without increased support, as many as 40% of rural post offices could close by 2026.
“This is about more than a service, the local post office provides a lifeline for people, they are often the hub of small communities," he said.
Deputy Collins noted that the current government support package for post offices is around €10 million a year.
The TD also called for a broader vision for the post office network, suggesting that services such as identity verification, State document processing, and expanded banking functions could all be delivered locally through existing post office infrastructure.
“We have these buildings, these trusted people, and these networks in place – we should be expanding their role, not letting them disappear,” he said.
Deputy Collins said he will be writing to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to formally urge them to include a rural post office support package in Budget 2026.
“Postmasters and postmistresses are doing heroic work, often at personal and financial cost, just to keep the lights on. They need backing. They need certainty. And they need it now," he said.
