A Cavan-Monaghan TD has said that post offices in Ireland are more than just a place to send letters.
Matt Carthy told the Dáil that post offices provide a vital lifeline, particularly for older people living in rural communities.
He said they offer access to pensions, bill payments, cash services and important social contact for people living alone.
Deputy Carthy also highlighted that 257 post offices have closed across the State in the past decade, including 11 in Cavan and Monaghan.
Speaking in the Dail last week, the Sinn Fein TD called for long-term Government funding and an expansion of State services through the post office network.
"Sinn Féin believes that the decline can be reversed, however. We are calling for a long-term government funding programme to secure the post office network, including investment needed to keep rural post offices closed. Crucially, we need to expand the services through post offices from banking and financial services to greater access to government services because here is the simple truth: Ministers talking the talk. How many services from each Department are actually provided from within the post office? If the Government really wanted to support our post offices, that would be the first move it would be making."
