Plans to move Mayo postal delivery service to Roscommon ‘not a done deal’ as petition gains over 2,500 signatures
Ballyhaunis councillor Alma Gallagher has recommitted her opposition to An Post’s proposed amalgamation of the Ballyhaunis Delivery Service Unit with Castlerea, insisting the plan is “not a done deal”.
An Post announced the move in November last year, confirming the amalgamation would take place in the second quarter of 2026 as part of the company’s national transformation strategy.
The Ballyhaunis delivery service, which has been in operation for 10 years, employs 13 staff who handle more than 2,000 parcels daily. The unit serves a wide catchment area, covering routes from Cloonfad to Kilkelly and along the Swinford border.
Under the proposal, Ballyhaunis staff would merge with the existing 35 employees in Castlerea and operate jointly from the An Post delivery office at Castlerea Business Park.
Postal workers from Ballyhaunis would begin and finish their shifts in Castlerea before travelling to east Mayo to complete their routes as normal.
Opposition to the move has been growing locally, with the Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce gathering over 2,500 signatures opposing the proposed amalgamation.
Cllr Gallagher has urged the community to continue supporting the campaign and to sign the petition before the end of this week.
“This is being framed as a cost-saving move - yet An Post recently reported strong profits and over €1 billion in revenue. It is hard to justify removing a proven rural service on that basis,” she said.
“This is about local jobs, local business, and our community. I will continue to oppose this proposal and push for proper, transparent engagement,” she added.
Cllr Gallagher joined forces with her Fine Gael colleague Senator Mark Duffy last December on a trip to Leinster House to raise concerns directly with Minister Patrick O’Donovan about the planned amalgamation.
Following the meeting, Cllr Gallagher said the Minister had agreed to investigate the proposal further.
Both Cllr Gallagher and Senator Duffy have committed to pursuing all available avenues in an effort to reverse the decision.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.