'Another nail in the coffin of the post office': Service launched to allow Irish passport renewal online
A new service being launched today will allow Irish citizens to renew their passports online.
The facility will only be available for adults renewing their travel documents - children and first-time applicants will have to go through the usual process.
It is good news for customers, but worrying for post offices that derive an important revenue stream from passport services.
It is one of the issues that will be raised this morning when the Postmasters' Union meets with the Minister for Regional Development, Michael Ring, to discuss the future of Irish post offices.
Ned O'Hara - General Secretary of the Postmasters' Union - said it is another blow for post offices.
“It’s not good news at all I’m afraid because it is just another nail in the coffin of the post office network.
“We recognise that the world is moving on technically but we have been involved in a process with Bobby Kerr where we wanted to address all the problems of the post office in their entirety and it is just another example of the challenges we face and the challenges are not being addressed.
“Bobby Kerr’s report is not being implemented.”
The final report of the Post Office Network Business Development Group, which was chaired by businessman Bobby Kerr, was published in January 2016.
It made 23 recommendations covering a number of areas including network renewal, financial services, government services, white labelling, and social capital and enterprise.
