Dinny McGinley
Ceist:164 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the current position regarding Cashelard post office, Ballyshannon, County Donegal. [19034/97]
Written Answers. - Post Office Services.
The Deputy will appreciate that it is a matter for An Post to decide the position in respect of individual post offices, and I have no function in that regard.
However, I understand from An Post that the postmaster at Cavangarden, known locally as Cashelard, County Donegal, resigned with effect from 29 November 1996. Following his resignation, the post office was closed on a temporary basis to facilitate a review of the services provided in the area. As part of that review, An Post met a deputation representative of local interests in January 1997 and their views were taken into account. Factors such as the sparsely populated area, minimal business levels, the absence of a shop in the area and the proximity of centres of significant population all severely limited the potential of a post office in that locality. In the circumstances An Post decided in May last to make the closure of the post office in Cavangarden, Cashelard permanent and are directing their customers to the post offices in Ballyshannon, 3.4 miles and Ballintra, 4.6 miles.