Stormont Executive must speak with one voice to secure future of Rural Post Offices - Nicholson
Ulster Unionist Member of the European Parliament Jim Nicholson MEP has said today that the new Northern Ireland Executive at Stormont must speak with one voice and demand that the Government at Westminster provide a secure future for the hundreds of rural post offices across Northern Ireland.
Mr Nicholson has written to the Northern Ireland Executive today urging them to make representations to the Government at Westminster about the issue.
The UUP MEP was speaking as the trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling is set to confirm today that about 2,500 post offices are to close by 2009.
Speaking from the Balmoral Show Mr Nicholson said,
“Make no mistake post office closures are going to hit Northern Ireland and its rural communities very hard. It will deliver a body blow to the economic and social sustainability of rural communities across the Province.
“This issue is of vital importance and one that the Executive at Stormont must deal with immediately. It is essential that the Executive speak with one voice to ensure a secure future for the hundreds of rural post offices across the Province threatened with closure.
“I would urge the Executive to consider working together with the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales because after all rural communities across the UK will suffer under the expected closures. This is definitely an issue where the regions of the UK are all stronger working together than we are working apart.
“Post offices in isolated rural areas benefit the community. They are a central area where people can meet and in many cases if you take the Post Office out of the community, the community dies.
“For many people, particularly the elderly, the sick, parents with young families and those without immediate access to transport, the potential closure of so many post offices would have a major negative impact upon them and their everyday lives.”