An Post plan to make mail delivery more efficient for rural customers results in disagreement and dispute.
The controversy arose when roadside postboxes were erected without advance notice or communication in selected locations in County Mayo, such as that of Killasser outside Swinford in County Mayo.
If this An Post scheme is implemented as planned, households could have to retrieve their mail from a postbox up to one mile away from their homes.
Western regional manager of An Post, Jim O’Connor says that while there was some criticism, the initiative has been,
A great success.
This has not been the experience of Maureen Armstrong. The mother of two small children, requested that her designated postbox be moved to within sight of her house. She says in dealings with one An Post official,
There was no understanding...hung up the phone on me.
Father Seán Leonard says postmen played a valuable role in the community in the recent past. They call in for a cup of tea, check in with older people and even write and reading letters for those who were not able to,
Rudaí mar sin an-tábhachtach do na daoine a bhí aosta...
One older person living alone is Bridget Kavanagh. She cannot walk down to the proposed location of her postbox due to health reasons, but An Post has not engaged with her concerns to date.
In many cases the postman is the link between the community and health services, contacting local general practitioners in an emergency, as confirmed by Dr Timothy Galvey,
Besides delivering mail, he also did a great social service.
This report for 'Cúrsaí’ was broadcast on 18 May 1988. The reporter is Seán Ó Mealóid.
'Cúrsaí' was an Irish-language television magazine programme. It was first broadcast on 14 October 1986 with Neasa Ní Chinnéide and Seán Ó Tuairisg as presenters. It was originally billed as "iris-chlár le béim faoi leith ar chúrsaí reatha an lae agus ar chúrsaí na tíre i gcoitinne" (RTÉ Guide, 17 October 1986). But it covered a wide range of topics, including politics, current affairs, arts and entertainment. 'Cúrsaí' was broadcast four nights a week, from Tuesday to Friday, on RTÉ 2. It ended on 30 May 1995.
