Rural communities are set to benefit following the news that Post Offices will be used for the payment of employment benefits.
According to Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy, the future of the Post Office network has been under threat due to the rapid decline in social welfare payments, which are the core business of the network.
Senator Carrigy said the move world help to reverse the decline in bushiness witnessed over the past number of years:
"We've seen a 6% reduction year on year and that has actually been increased to 12% because of COVID, so that's reducing the footfall into the post offices. It's making them difficult to be viable, but it's also reducing the footfall into the various towns and communities around the country, and that has a significant impact as well."
