A warning has been issued by postmasters that the future of many rural post offices could be at risk unless the Department of Social Protection brings all social welfare payments back to a weekly collection.
Manorhamilton Municipal District County Councillor Mary Bohan runs the local post office in Drumkeeran in County Leitrim. She says the fortnightly distribution of payments is causing confusion among customers who are finding it hard to manage their finances over two weeks.
Cllr Bohan says says the changes made to social welfare during the pandemic are having an impact on many rural post offices that are paid by the number of transactions that they conduct weekly.