An Post services remain important to Galway city despite changing times

Among the busy Galway city streets, many shops and services have been at the forefront of the community. The post offices, which are located throughout the city, are still the heartbeat that keeps the city ticking.

In total, 12 post offices are dotted around the city. The main ones, which feature in the day-to-day life of Galwegians, include the service on Eglinton Street. While many post offices have seen their doors close throughout the country, the city post offices remain open. Since the pandemic, the way in which the public have used post offices has changed.

“The Post Office has now seen their business being gradually lost, pensions have now been diminished, because people can now get paid directly into their bank accounts rather than going in to collect their pensions at the office,” said Councillor Donal Lyons, who first started working at a Sligo post office in 1973.

Cllr Lyons has worked in various parts of the country throughout the years including Mullingar, Dunleary and Donegal. He has held many positions with An Post, including being a Customer Services manager in 2000.

Changing Times

One of the key ways in which people use the post office differently can be seen with pensions. With the regular protocol of anyone over the age of 66 receiving their weekly allowance, the ways of collecting these payments has now changed.

Cllr Lyons has been told by many city outlets that some quarters of the community are now receiving their money directly into their accounts rather than collecting at the desk. The knock-on effects of this are echoed by Cllr Lyons.

“This has now changed the game with post offices, it’s a business nowadays that is trying to play catchup with the modern times,” he said.

The changing pattern to which the older generation can now use different avenues to collect their money is having a negative impact on post offices, according to Cllr Lyons.

“Whereby years ago it was always part and parcel of the community to see pensioners coming on Friday’s to collect their pensions, that has now stopped. That is why there is such a fight to retain post offices,” added Cllr Lyons.

The views of Cllr Lyons were also shared by Galway City East Councillor Alan Cheevers. Cllr Cheevers has also heard instances of people being paid directly into their bank accounts with pensions. He does however, see the importance of the service sticking around.

“For our older people it is still a vital commodity with regards to pensions for those who are not tech-savvy, it is important that we try and retain our offices as they are vital to the city,” said Cllr Cheevers.

Missed Opportunity

While Christmas remains a time for families to send letters flying through the letterbox, the price of stamps has seen a negative impact emerge. To purchase stamps nowadays in Ireland a person has to pay €2.

Cllr Lyons was critical of the Government in relation to the matter.

“The Post Office missed a trick at Christmas time with not reducing the price of stamps,” he said. “There was a big reduction of mail being sent to households at this time because people were feeling the pinch.”

Cllr Lyons stated that people are better off hand-delivering letters nowadays due to the high prices of stamps. Cllr Lyons has also called on the Government to tackle this issue and make the price of stamps more affordable.

The use of technology nowadays is also having an impact on the postal service in Galway. “You can now go out on your mobile phone and send an e-mail or a text message to a person rather than handing them a letter,” added Cllr Lyons.

Keeping Post Offices going

Despite the changes on the way in which An Post services operate, it is still viewed as being important to promote the service. “The range of services offered by An Post have changed to reflect the changing needs and demands of the public and the footfall that the Post Office generates supports neighbouring commercial and retail services,” said Brian Barrett, a Director of Services at the Galway City Council.

The astounding drop in numbers throughout the country can be viewed by Cllr Lyons. Cllr Lyons had seen nearly 1,600 post offices in operation when he first began work in 1974. That number has now dwindled down to an eye-watering 900, according to Cllr Lyons.

With these impending factors affecting post offices in the city, one would hope that the services remain open to rubber stamp their presence in the community.