Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming has hit out at Government policy which he says ‘deliberately closes down services in villages throughout the Laois’.
Fleming made the call after it was announced that the Post Office in Ballinakill is to close.
He said: “The announcement from the State Post Company, An Post, says that people can go to Abbeyleix, Durrow, Attanagh and Ballyraggett for their post office services in future.
“This is another example of Government policy closing down services in rural communities.
“At this stage I would like to wish Aidan Kennedy every good health and happiness in his retirement after many decades of loyal service as Post Master in Ballinakill to the local community.
“This announcement in Ballinakill follows an earlier Government announcement a couple of years ago to close the Garda Station in Ballinakill.
“The Government is essentially withdrawing all key Government services from rural villages.
“Ballinakill is not the only village to have suffered this similar fate by this Government. In recent times they have facilitated the closure of the Post Office and Garda Station in Ballacolla also.
“There is an anti rural bias in this Government, they believe most people, services and employment should be based in the greater Dublin area.
“According to the Government, if people want services in Laois they can go to the major urban areas. Worse still, there are 11,000 people leaving Laois to go to work mainly in Dublin.
“This Government needs to understand that people living in counties like Laois and local communities like Ballinakill need an equal service as citizens in the larger urban areas.
“Finally, I am calling on the Government to ask An Post to re-examine the situation in terms of providing a full post office service in Ballinakill as their current policies are all about abandoning rural Ireland.”
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