Kentstown set for new post office

By Michael Keaveny

Kentstown has been named as one of five locations across the county to get a new post office. The news comes as the national post service is shutting down 159 post offices nationwide, including in Carnaross, Bellewstown, Tara, Dunsany, Rathmolyon, Drumree and Batterstown

David McRedmond, chief executive of An Post revealed the opening of the new offices on Morning Ireland this morning by saying that they are  "to meet the commitment that every community with over 500 people has a post office."

He added that the announcement would be officially made next week.

The nearest post office was in Balrath, which closed some years ago following the death of the post mistress, while a more recent addition has been the post office in Super Valu in Johnstown Shopping Centre.

Mr McRedmond also said that it is not nessecarily the end of the road for the post offices that have been closed own as "there is an appeals process where there are two independent people to appeal to, because it is possible we havent considered all the issues in every area."

Post offices have experienced a decline in usage over the past number of years, evidenced by the fact that in a survey conducted by Macra Na Feirme show that 45 per cent of members only used their local post office a couple of times a year.