Rural Kerry is under attack from the Government, according to Fianna Fail candidate Niall Kelleher, who has raised concerns about what he has described as ongoing attacks on rural Ireland and rural Kerry.
His comments come on the back of alarming reports about the future of rural Post Offices. Niall Kelleher has stated that Post Offices throughout rural Kerry could face closure, if the proposals from the Government go ahead. “It is alarming that Minister Pat Rabbitte continues with his plans to move towards electronic payments and the use of bank accounts” said Niall Kelleher.
According to Niall Kelleher “I am shocked and concerned with what the Government is proposing with regard to Post Offices. If the Government succeed with their proposals, we could see almost every post office across Ireland loose up to a third of it’s income. This will be as a direct result of the removal of social welfare payments, leaving many of these business unsustainable. We need to be vigilant about what is happening, as An Post appear to be trying to partner with the global supermarket chain Tesco, to provide the new post and pay partnership.”
“All of us know that for many people, the weekly visit to the local Post Office may be the only social outing for many people in Kerry. I will continue to fight for the preservation of as many services as is possible for rural parts of Kerry. We need to unite to oppose any draconian steps that further hurt rural Ireland.”
“This latest development has followed the Governments closure of rural Garda Stations in Kerry and has the potential be a further slap in the face to hard pressed families of Kerry. The only thing that I can conclude is that rural Kerry is under sustained attack from this Government” concluded Niall Kelleher.
