Moving Post Office jobs to Bantry is ‘madness’

A DUNMANWAY councillor has said he cannot understand the logic of An Post moving eight postal workers from Dunmanway Post Office to a new delivery service unit (DSU) in Bantry.

An Post confirmed that they recently took possession of a large premises at the local business park in Bantry and have purpose-fitted the new premises as a modern parcel and mail facility. Postal workers will now sort the mail there before heading out on deliveries.

Three workers from Glengarriff,  two from Kealkil, and 12 from the former DSU at William Street in Bantry will also work from the new unit.

Independent Cllr Declan Hurley told The Southern Star that he has concerns about this move.

‘These workers covering the Dunmanway and Drinagh postal areas will now have to leave Dunmanway first thing in the morning and then sort the post in Bantry and bring it back and then distribute it around the area,’ said Cllr Hurley.

‘The madness of it is that the post that they will be sorting and bringing back to Dunmanway will be literally passing the town earlier in a van.’

He is also worried this is going to lead to the demise of more post offices in the future, and noted that there is a perfectly fine sorting office in Dunmanway.

‘My fear is that this will have a negative impact down the line. It makes no sense sending eight vans down to Bantry every morning. It’s making their days longer and means we will be getting our post later. I just can’t see the cost saving if there is one to be made.’

Cllr Hurley added that at a time when the government is trying to push the green economy, An Post is sending eight vans to Bantry and back again to Dunmanway.

A spokesperson for An Post said the move represents a  ‘major investment in infrastructure for the area and enhanced facilities for our customers and staff, including car parking and better working conditions for all’.

‘Local customers will still be getting the same local services from their postmen and women. It will still be possible to pick up undelivered mail in the local post office.’

The spokesperson added that the Bantry development is part of the ongoing transformation of their mail and parcel deliveries nationwide, reflecting the changing needs of customers and the fact they now deliver more parcels and less letters.

Last year seven postal workers involved in the collecting and sorting of mail at the Goleen, Schull, and Ballydehob post offices were relocated to the central office at Market Street in Skibbereen.

Dunmanway Post Office posted online over the weekend that there are ‘big changes’ ahead for the postal workers of Dunmanway and Drinagh. They also advised customers that that they may now have a different post delivery person and that their post may be delivered at different times.