No threat to Athenry post office following changes in mail processing

Galway Bay fm newsroom – An Post says there is NO threat to the future of Athenry Post Office following the introduction of changes in mail processing. Galway East Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton had raised concerns regarding the service after a plan was unveiled to reallocate sorting staff to a new unit to Loughrea. Postal staff in Loughrea, Athenry, Kylebrack, Woodford and Tynagh will move to a new delivery service unit at Cottagehill Business Park in Loughrea, with the transition expected to reach completion in October. The move will involve 13 staff from Loughrea, 13 from Athenry, 3 from Kylebrack and one from both Woodford and Tynagh. An Post says the new unit has been set up in a bid to meet the logistical, health and safety, fleet and security requirements of the business. It stresses that the operational change has NO impact whatsoever on local retail post office areas in these areas. 20 post offices have closed throughout the county since 2005, the third highest rate of closures in the country behind Cork and Mayo In a statement to Galway Bay fm news, An Post says the changes are focused on improved quality and efficiency in mail processing and have no impact on local post office retail services.