A Dáil committee is to discuss the future of sub-post-offices.
Union representatives, An Post management and the Irish Postmasters' Union (IPU) are to appear before the Oireachtas Committee for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on February 2nd to discuss the future of many of the offices.
There are 1,390 of them nationwide, receiving 50 cent per transaction from An Post. The company is to take over the collection of fines for speeding and seat-belt and other offences from the Garda from early next year, creating potential additional revenue for sub-post offices.
According to An Post, approximately 1,000 offices do 95 per cent of the business, leaving the remaining 300-450 offices with 5 per cent of the business.
The IPU says 300 smaller offices have had to close over the past three years.
The IPU general secretary, Mr John Kane, said yesterday much of the western seaboard is affected where permanent banking services have been withdrawn.
"We recognise there is a problem, but we're looking for the State to say that post offices have a social function," he said.
At the moment "whole swathes" of offices were closing by default. "We're looking for a proper structure regarding the size of the network," he said.
Mr John McGuinness TD (Fianna Fáil) said yesterday that sub-post offices were often at the heart of village life, run by families who down through generations had played a significant role in the social and economic life of their towns and villages.
According to Mr McGuinness the cost of automating the remaining 450 offices would come to €3.2 million.
A spokesman for An Post confirmed that it was in discussion with the IPU on a range of issues.