The Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) today called on the Government to make the Post Office a central part of the re-organisation of banking services in Ireland.
IPU General Secretary, Brian McGann said that Post Offices are already providing banking transactions for AIB and NIB and that the Post Office should become a channel of choice for reformed banking and financial transaction services in areas outside of other providers reach.
With a network of 1,100 fully automated Post Offices the opportunity to provide the public with access to banking transaction services across the length and breadth of the country is unique, he said.
The Post Office Network is larger than the 900 branches held by AIB, BoI, NIB, TSB and Ulster Bank combined. This means that Post Offices have the greatest capacity of any provider in the country to deliver financial services.
‘Utilising the extensive physical retail network that An Post offers will ensure banks and financial institutions can continue to provide extensive services to Irish consumers while recognising the financial constraints within which many of those other service providers are currently operating’, he continued.
Mr McGann’s call comes after the Government recently announced that it is to draw up plans for a major overhaul and streamlining of the banking sector. Furthermore, AIB has recently announced its plans for major downsizing.
He said the Post Office Network’s role in keeping transaction services available in local communities across the country will also help to maintain employment in these areas by providing additional services.
‘Over recent years, the Post Office Network has proved extremely effective at providing customers with a combination of services in one location such as the provision of Bill Pay facilities to customers in receipt of social welfare payments. There is no reason why local post offices can’t provide a whole variety of services’, said Mr McGann.
“This would be a perfect example of joined up thinking from Government. With most of the banking sector in crisis and under majority public ownership it makes sense to use the Post Office Retail Network to help the Irish banking sector restructure while also ensuring that all Irish customers have access to a high level of services.
“We are open for business and that means serving customers five and a half days each week. People know and trust us and we will be there for our customers when they need us”, Mr McGann said.
