A Co Monaghan postmaster says the post office network is the 'harp on the doorstep' of rural communities.
Ciaran McEntee, from Threemilehouse, and national vice-president of the Irish Postmasters Union was reacting to the suite of measures that have been introduced by the exchequer to support the network for the next three years, on this morning's JF Show.
Mr McEntee says it's the first time in the history of the State, that measures like these have been afforded to the post office network.
He also added that 1.3 million customers access its services weekly.
Mr McEntee pointed out that it was the postmasters of Ireland that opened their post offices and "kept rural villages alive" during the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns that were imposed.
Mr McEntee says more and more young people are using post offices now.
And, it's the network's new state of the art banking services that have contributed to the move, he added.
"It's young people that is using the post office - for banking, for parcels," said Mr McEntee.
"The other day we had a lady who had a problem with the passport.
"She came to the post office and my wife sorted out the forms for her and sent them away for her.
"So, post offices are a service to the Government and the harp on the doorstep."
