Arkins and Breen slam closures of rural public services

TWO public representatives in Clare have this week slammed the removal of public services from the county saying the anticipated closure of a post office in North Clare will drive business out of the county.
Fine Gael North Clare Councillor Joe Arkins and his party colleague, Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Clare TD, Pat Breen, joined forces to appeal to An Post ahead of the closure of Boston Post Office to facilitate people in the area to transact their business in either Crusheen or Corofin Post Offices.
The post office is due to close and both public representatives claim customers have been advised to transact their business in Gort Post Office.
Councillor Arkins and Deputy Breen said this would be a major loss to local businesses in North Clare and that customers should be able to transact their business in either Crusheen or Corofin Post Offices.
“It is becoming the norm now to close down post offices in rural areas and force people to travel longer distances to do their business. This places a greater burden on our elderly people, the needy and their dependants who are very reliant on the local post office,” Deputy Breen said.
Councillor Arkins expressed his disappointment at the closure of Boston Post Office pointing out that the post office in Ruan has already closed and he described the latest closure as yet “another body blow to the area”.
Deputy Breen and Councillor Arkins are appealing to An Post to facilitate people at either Crusheen or Corofin Post Offices.
Deputy Breen said “the reality is that when people go to pick up their pensions on a Friday, for example, they also do their weekly shopping. Small businesses are already struggling and they can ill-afford to lose this business.”
“Crusheen Post Office is only a sub-post office and I would appeal to An Post to upgrade this post office in view of the closures of their services in both Boston and Ruan,” Councillor Arkins said.
He said that Crusheen has expanded significantly in recent years and further expansion is planned with the N18 Gort to Crusheen Bypass underway and a commuter rail stop due to come on track. Bearing that in mind he stated that “there will be sufficient demand in Crusheen for a full post office”.
Deputy Breen has written to An Post on behalf of Councillor Arkins and himself, expressing his disappointment at the decision to close down the post office in Boston, requesting that An Post give their Boston customers the option of transacting their business at either Corofin or Crusheen Post Office and that in light of the closure of the post offices in Boston and Ruan that now is the appropriate time to upgrade the post office in Crusheen to full post office status.
Deputy Breen said, “It is ironic that in the same week that the Government office is closing down and Clare farmers are being forced to travel to Limerick, An Post is closing down Boston Post Office and forcing people to travel to Gort, in Galway.”