Fine Gael closing down Rural Ireland??

end of the road

end of the road wrote: »

wrong. they can only get it to the town if it goes to the town. which many of them don't go to the town, but the nearest village.

Wrong. They can get a minibus/taxi from their door to the nearest town twice a week. They have enough time to do all their business or even get their hair done, go to doctor, etc.

LeinsterDub

end of the road wrote: »

they can live where they like. they will get their services as per entitlements and obligations as they pay tax.

Of course they can live where they like and of course they'll get the services they are entitled to and of course those services will be dictated by both a PSO factor and what makes economic sense.

Widdershins

Del2005 wrote: »

If they can get a mini bus to the nearest village then they can get a minibus to the nearest town. If the local village hasn't the services for them it's not urban peoples fault, it's other rural dwellers who drive past the local village to the nearest town.

I didn't say it was urban dweller's fault. Do you have some sort of complex?

Those minibuses tend to run once a week, and they pick passengers up a few hours after dropping them off. Do you expect people to take the day off/out to get a post office run done? They are also very small buses, not meant for people who only need to do a simple job they could normally get done locally. How many more buses would need to be put on for them? That's just daft

I did say it could be something to do with *some* rural people bypassing local services, probably not thinking it's going to cause their demise. Again that doesn't mean those who need and use the service don't exist.


[/QUOTE]from my experience of rural East Mayo it's the locals building the mansions as no foreigner wants to live there. Every farmer you meet says that they are struggling, and if it wasn't for subsidies they definitely would, so how can multiple families make a go of a farm?[/QUOTE]

What foreigners? Is that a euphemism for people who didn't originally come from that exact area, or something? Because I never mentioned foreigners...

murphaph wrote: »

The post of someone who has had his argument thoroughly discredited. You don't​ like the map (thanks Victor) because it cuts through 10 layers of bull**** like a hot knife through butter.

I'd say that literally not one person living on the mainland is over 60 mins drive to a post office. I'd say the percentage over 30 mins drive is still low single digits!

Lovely. Normally I don't reply to posts like yours.

Without knowing which post offices WILL be open you can't say where they'll be driving/trying to get to. And currently most of the outlying townlands that come to mind for me would be half an hour or so from a place with a PO. Those places seem likely candidates for closing down. Feakle hinterland people might go to Scariff. Would Scariff be closed, though? People in North Clare might already go to Ballyvaughan which is easily a half hour from some of the more remote places. Will Ballyvaughan be left open? If those in planning take your kind of view, I doubt it.

I am not that remote, and I'd be driving to one on Victor's list of suggestions, half an hour away on a good day. It's none of your business where that is. And that's half an hour to reach the outskirts of the town, not including getting through traffic, finding somewhere to park (it's notoriously lacking in parking) and all the rest.

When I can currently use the PO in the village, that's going to make a big difference.

I think 30 minutes seems about the average drive. You can do no more than guess when you say ''I'd say the percentage over 30 mins drive is still low single digits!'' and I'm not sure why you think those people are irrelevant.

Widdershins

PeadarCo wrote: »

They won't be able to make a go. The number of people farming has been declining for decades and will continue to decline due to technology changes and pressure on farmers profit margins. The whole post office issue is a side show. What people are really complaining about is the continual decline if rural Ireland. That's been driven by the change in the jobs people do. Most jobs are located in towns and cities. People move to where their are jobs. Its something you see in nearly every country in the world.

Leaving a few post offices open won't have any effect on the health of rural Ireland. Its a system of the decline not the cause.

If there's no post office in villages you'll see a decline alright.

Which would warm the cockles of the hearts of a few people on this thread.

LeinsterDub

Widdershins wrote: »

If there's no post office in villages you'll see a decline alright.

Which would warm the cockles of the hearts of a few people on this thread.

Quite the opposite in fact. What would warm the cockles is sensible planning which supports local villages and towns, lower the infrastructure costs, improves health care provision etc.

It's a sad state of affairs when towns the size of Enniscorthy are struggling. I'm not sure how you expect tiny villages to survive. To use a farming expression you reap what you sow

Widdershins

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Quite the opposite in fact. What would warm the cockles is sensible planning which support local villages and towns, lower the infrastructure costs, improve health care provision etc.

It's a sad state of affairs when towns the size of Enniscorthy are struggling. I'm not sure how you expect tiny villages to survive. To use a farming expression you reap what you sow

Well that sounded reasonable enough until the last sentence.

LeinsterDub

Widdershins wrote: »

Well that sounded reasonable enough until the last sentence.

It wasn't urban Dublin that encouraged one off housing for miles on end. The road from Galway city to the port to Inis Mór is one of the worst examples. House after house miles from the nearest village. In fact efforts from central government to discourage this sort of thing have been vigorously fought by rural Ireland

Widdershins

LeinsterDub wrote: »

It wasn't urban Dublin that encouraged one off housing for miles on end. The road from Galway city to the port to Inis Mór is one of the worst examples. House after house miles from the nearest village. In fact efforts from central government to discourage this sort of thing have been vigorously fought by rural Ireland

I'm in rural Ireland and I was and am opposed to it so I wasn't disagreeing about that. Not helpful to be spiteful or hostile to people now though.

Elemonator

Can't allow a few farmers in the middle of Ballydenowhere to suck money out of an already ailing An Post.

Or we could just increase our taxes?

LeinsterDub

Widdershins wrote: »

I'm in rural Ireland and I was and am opposed to it so I wasn't disagreeing about that. Not helpful to be spiteful or hostile to people now though.

No one is being spiteful or hostile

Widdershins

Elemonator wrote: »

Can't allow a few farmers in the middle of Ballydenowhere to suck money out of an already ailing An Post.

Or we could just increase our taxes?

Excuse the ignorance but is there a way of finding out a breakdown of taxes are spent on? If they are already being spent wisely then I'd accept an increase to support my own area's survival but as has been said, An Post could maximise profits in some ways.

LeinsterDub

Elemonator wrote: »

Can't allow a few farmers in the middle of Ballydenowhere to suck money out of an already ailing An Post.

Or we could just increase our taxes?

I assume our means the taxes of the people in rural Ireland as urban areas already pay enough for rural subvention

Elemonator

Widdershins wrote: »

Excuse the ignorance but is there a way of finding out a breakdown of taxes are spent on? If they are already being spent wisely then I'd accept an increase to support my own area's survival but as has been said, An Post could maximise profits in some ways.

There is, I'll have to look. I think the Department of Finance or the Central Statistics Office have a pit chart and technical breakdown online. To be honest though, I don't think its a lack of funding, but rather stupid spending. They are talking about closing a few rural offices when their CEO gets 500,000 euros a year.

Balf

PeadarCo wrote: »

Most jobs are located in towns and cities. People move to where their are jobs. Its something you see in nearly every country in the world.

Leaving a few post offices open won't have any effect on the health of rural Ireland. Its a system of the decline not the cause.

I think you've summarised the issue very clearly.

I think we could add that the rural agenda has always been a political priority. It's even stitched into the Constitution. It just isn't a realistic vision.

If rural areas possessed the human and material resources to construct a sustainable life for a greatly expanded population, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Experience suggests that despite every support - going right back to rural electrification - the rural economy simply underperforms and fails to deliver the hoped for outcome.

Really, nothing to see here and nothing to be done.

Widdershins

Balf wrote: »

I think you've summarised the issue very clearly.

I think we could add that the rural agenda has always been a political priority. It's even stitched into the Constitution. It just isn't a realistic vision.

If rural areas possessed the human and material resources to construct a sustainable life for a greatly expanded population, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Experience suggests that despite every support - going right back to rural electrification - the rural economy simply underperforms and fails to deliver the hoped for outcome.

Really, nothing to see here and nothing to be done.

Dublin can manage without the water pipeline from rural Ireland, then, can it? Maybe we could save some money there instead.

Because it's not just rural areas that should ''possess the human and material resources to construct a sustainable life for a greatly expanded population''

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-water-publishes-route-of-shannon-to-dublin-pipeline-1.2858475

Widdershins

Elemonator wrote: »

There is, I'll have to look. I think the Department of Finance or the Central Statistics Office have a pit chart and technical breakdown online. To be honest though, I don't think its a lack of funding, but rather stupid spending. They are talking about closing a few rural offices when their CEO gets 500,000 euros a year.

I think that's the problem in most of these cases.

end of the road

murphaph wrote: »

The post of someone who has had his argument thoroughly discredited. You don't​ like the map (thanks Victor) because it cuts through 10 layers of bull**** like a hot knife through butter.

her argument wasn't discredited and the map doesn't cut through any layers of anything like anything. her arguments are valid and as she knows the area, what she says goes.

murphaph wrote: »

I'd say that literally not one person living on the mainland is over 60 mins drive to a post office. I'd say the percentage over 30 mins drive is still low single digits!

people have better things to do then driving an hour to a post office when one exists in their area currently.

Deleted User wrote: »

Wrong. They can get a minibus/taxi from their door to the nearest town twice a week. They have enough time to do all their business or even get their hair done, go to doctor, etc.

wrong, they can't get one to the nearest town if one doesn't go to the nearest town. if one goes to the nearest town they are all ready traveling to the nearest town anyway so they wouldn't be having any issue. but as many areas don't have services to the nearest town but the nearest village only, then they shall be fighting to retain their services.

LeinsterDub wrote: »

No one is being spiteful or hostile

they are i'm afraid.

LeinsterDub wrote: »

I assume our means the taxes of the people in rural Ireland as urban areas already pay enough for rural subvention

no it would have to be a general tax increase to avoid discrimination. urban areas actually don't pay enough tax to support themselves. everyone in ireland is being subsidized in one form or another, it's just some like to deny it.

LeinsterDub

end of the road wrote: »

no it would have to be a general tax increase to avoid discrimination. urban areas actually don't pay enough tax to support themselves. everyone in ireland is being subsidized in one form or another, it's just some like to deny it.

Actually Dublin is very much subsiding the rest of the country.

Balf

Widdershins wrote: »

Dublin can manage without the water pipeline from rural Ireland, then, can it?]

The point, which I suspect you appreciate, is that tax revenue raised in Dublin can fund the construction of a pipeline. And the river is just a nation resource - it doesn't exist because of any effort by rural Ireland.

By contrast, rural Ireland can't fund the post office network. Neither does possession of the network prevent rural decline, even for a second.

Rural folk like yourself just need to frame realistic expectations, and bring that to the table.

Balf

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Actually Dublin is very much subsiding the rest of the country.

This has been demonstrated many times. For example


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=89559868&postcount=23

Widdershins

Balf wrote: »

The point, which I suspect you appreciate, is that tax revenue raised in Dublin can fund the construction of a pipeline. And the river is just a nation resource - it doesn't exist because of any effort by rural Ireland.

By contrast, rural Ireland can't fund the post office network. Neither does possession of the network prevent rural decline, even for a second.

Rural folk like yourself just need to frame realistic expectations, and bring that to the table.

Dublin can't provide adequate water for its inhabitants and it's population's growing all the time.

An Post can't manage the budget is more like it, I suspect.

And I see very few ''reasonable'' people at this particular 'table', judging by the manner in which my comments were cherry picked, misquoted and misinterpreted. Luckily this decision is not yours to make and Boards is a discussion forum where people are entitled to share an opinion.

end of the road

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Actually Dublin is very much subsiding the rest of the country.

that's the job of an economic powerhouse, to help itself and the country as a whole.

LeinsterDub

end of the road wrote: »

that's the job of an economic powerhouse, to help itself and the country as a whole.

Which is a complete flip flop from your last post which suggested urban areas can't fund themselves

end of the road

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Which is a complete flip flop from your last post which suggested urban areas can't fund themselves

it actually isn't as the capital would be more then a simple urban area.

LeinsterDub

end of the road wrote: »

it actually isn't as the capital would be more then a simple urban area.

So it's a complete fudge more so than a complete flip flop. Gotcha.

end of the road

end of the road wrote: »

wrong, they can't get one to the nearest town if one doesn't go to the nearest town. if one goes to the nearest town they are all ready traveling to the nearest town anyway so they wouldn't be having any issue. but as many areas don't have services to the nearest town but the nearest village only, then they shall be fighting to retain their services.

I know what I'm talking about. Try informing yourself before answering posts. Have a read of this. http://www.ringalink.ie/demand-responsive-transport.html

Widdershins

Deleted User wrote: »

I know what I'm talking about. Try informing yourself before answering posts. Have a read of this. http://www.ringalink.ie/demand-responsive-transport.html

Have you used such a service? Does it operate daily, and how long of a wait for the return bus? And are you comfortable with taking the bones of a day to go to a town half an hour away, if you drove a car, but an hour away when you factor in the detour to collect and drop off passengers? How many extra buses will have to be funded to transport the people who would have used their local services had they remained open? Who will fund that?
All this instead of using a post office within walking distance? I don't want to take a day off to do so and have no interest in taking a minibus and getting my hair cut while I'm at it. I can drive, but it would still necessitate a day off, as the driving to and fro and then to work late, would waste the best part of a day.

Widdershins

Widdershins wrote: »

Have you used such a service? Does it operate daily, and how long of a wait for the return bus? And are you comfortable with taking the bones of a day to go to a town half an hour away, if you drove a car, but an hour away when you factor in the detour to collect and drop off passengers? How many extra buses will have to be funded to transport the people who would have used their local services had they remained open? Who will fund that?
All this instead of using a post office within walking distance? I don't want to take a day off to do so and have no interest in taking a minibus and getting my hair cut while I'm at it. I can drive, but it would still necessitate a day off, as the driving to and fro and then to work late, would waste the best part of a day.

You can use bus twice a week, usually Wednesdays and Fridays. It collects you from your door and drops you into town. You have roughly an hour to do your business. Usually 2 or 3 passengers per trip. It is bookable only, as it doesn't drive a set route picking up casual passengers. The service is free for free travel holders, others pay as normal. It is all about keeping rural Ireland alive.

Widdershins

Deleted User wrote: »

You can use bus twice a week, usually Wednesdays and Fridays. It collects you from your door and drops you into town. You have roughly an hour to do your business. Usually 2 or 3 passengers per trip. It is bookable only, as it doesn't drive a set route picking up casual passengers. The service is free for free travel holders, others pay as normal. It is all about keeping rural Ireland alive.

Thanks for the information. That is better than the one I know of. Although that one might pick disabled people up, non disabled people need to get to the 'stop' which was the village shop. Which in itself is an issue for non drivers. It's also absolutely packed. Yes you have to book it but it drives from a to d to f (all over the place) , picking up the pre booked passengers, who are in or on the way to the next small town.And back in the direction of point 'a' to get to the main road. And it picked them up at 9 am, and collected them to go home at 1 or 1:30 pm. Total waste of a day for anyone who only needs to use what should be local services, handy service for people who want/need the day in town.

Widdershins

LeinsterDub wrote: »

So it's a complete fudge more so than a complete flip flop. Gotcha.

The poster said it's the job of an economic powerhouse to do so..they didn't say Dublin's actually doing the job.

LeinsterDub

Widdershins wrote: »

The poster said it's the job of an economic powerhouse to do so..they didn't say Dublin's actually doing the job.

Read their posts. They said urban areas aren't paying for themselves. When it was pointed out Dublin is paying for the rest of the country they then fudged it to exclude Dublin from term urban area.

Also are you attempting to claim Dublin isn't acting as a economic powerhouse?

Widdershins

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Also are you attempting to claim Dublin isn't acting as a economic powerhouse?

No, I have no interest in what Dublin is or isn't, at the moment. The battle of Dublin and the West/rural Ireland is pitiful.

You and others did a fantastic job of misrepresenting my posts so I don't think so...

murphaph

Widdershins wrote: »

If there's no post office in villages you'll see a decline alright.

Which would warm the cockles of the hearts of a few people on this thread.

I'd love to see thriving busy lived in rural villages but so long as people continue to live outside them they will continue to decline.

It is, contrary to popular belief, a relatively modern phenomenon to build isolated one off homes. Irish rural dwellers a hundred years ago mostly lived in clusters of houses. It's the era of the motor car that ushered in the current development patterns.

Del2005

Widdershins wrote: »

Have you used such a service? Does it operate daily, and how long of a wait for the return bus? And are you comfortable with taking the bones of a day to go to a town half an hour away, if you drove a car, but an hour away when you factor in the detour to collect and drop off passengers? How many extra buses will have to be funded to transport the people who would have used their local services had they remained open? Who will fund that?
All this instead of using a post office within walking distance? I don't want to take a day off to do so and have no interest in taking a minibus and getting my hair cut while I'm at it. I can drive, but it would still necessitate a day off, as the driving to and fro and then to work late, would waste the best part of a day.

If people were using local services they wouldn't be closing down. A stand alone post office can't survive with a few people collecting a pension and buying a few stamps. It needs hundreds of people to use it.

How many people in rural Ireland can walk to their nearest shops or post office in 20 minutes? I'd say it's a tiny amount.

Why should buses be funded? I though that people living in rural areas excepted that there will be sacrifices for living miles from their neighbours and one of these is that the provision of most public services isn't viable.
It would be cost affective to run buses between villages, and towns for people to access services that the village can't provide, it's not cost affective to run buses from houses spread for miles along the road.

Widdershins

Del2005 wrote: »

If people were using local services they wouldn't be closing down. A stand alone post office can't survive with a few people collecting a pension and buying a few stamps. It needs hundreds of people to use it.

How many people in rural Ireland can walk to their nearest shops or post office in 20 minutes? I'd say it's a tiny amount.

Why should buses be funded? I though that people living in rural areas excepted that there will be sacrifices for living miles from their neighbours and one of these is that the provision of most public services isn't viable.
It would be cost affective to run buses between villages, and towns for people to access services that the village can't provide, it's not cost affective to run buses from houses spread for miles along the road.

There's an argument that it's because An Post aren't managing the financial side of it properly. My local PO appears to be busy enough and it's quite rural. By no means just pensioners collecting their pension once a week.

You can't remove local services AND leave people stranded, that's why. They pay their taxes and USC too.

I already said people accept the sacrifice of convenience, for living in the country where they're happy. That doesn't mean they can be expected to accept unlimited hardship and inconvenience.

I don't understand the question about walking there in 20 minutes.

If you seriously think rural dwellers should be forced into urban areas then accept that it's going to cost the state in mental healthcare bills. And probably ordinary healthcare bills too.

murphaph

These matters will increasingly be decided by the ballot box.

Ireland is urbanising. Same the world over. The special place rural Ireland had in the nation's heart is diminishing as more and more children are born who do not know their last ancestor to live in rural Ireland. My grandparents (at least my grandmother on my mother's side) lived in Avoca on a small holding but left the land to marry my grandfather who was in the army.

My children will not know any family who have any connection to rural Ireland. The politicians of the future will have to answer to a mostly urban electorate with no "spiritual connection" to rural Ireland. It is to be expected that this urban electorate's representatives will push to minimise spend in rural Ireland and maximise expenditure in their urban constituencies.

end of the road

Del2005 wrote: »

If people were using local services they wouldn't be closing down.

wrong. they would be closing down if costs needed to be cut quick and fast.

Del2005 wrote: »

A stand alone post office can't survive with a few people collecting a pension and buying a few stamps. It needs hundreds of people to use it.

it doesn't. it can have other income such as being the shop, guarda station, and much more.

Del2005 wrote: »

Why should buses be funded?

because it's our job to fund them to insure that people remain connected. they provide social benefit in terms of economic activity, employment and educational opportunities.

Del2005 wrote: »

I though that people living in rural areas excepted that there will be sacrifices for living miles from their neighbours and one of these is that the provision of most public services isn't viable.

it is viable hence the services are provided

Del2005 wrote: »

It would be cost affective to run buses between villages, and towns for people to access services that the village can't provide, it's not cost affective to run buses from houses spread for miles along the road.

it is if they are passing those houses anyway when running between the villages and towns. which is what is provided. provide the busses or the local services, but the people are entitled to their services and will get them in whichever form. the services provided are cost effective hence are provided.

end of the road

Deleted User wrote: »

I know what I'm talking about. Try informing yourself before answering posts. Have a read of this. http://www.ringalink.ie/demand-responsive-transport.html

i know what i'm talking about and what i say is correct. that service might be availible where you live or in other areas but it isn't in others.

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Read their posts. They said urban areas aren't paying for themselves. When it was pointed out Dublin is paying for the rest of the country they then fudged it to exclude Dublin from term rural area.

Also are you attempting to claim Dublin isn't acting as a economic powerhouse?

i didn't fudge anything. dublin isn't as much of an economic power house as it could be. it's still some bit of an economic power house though and is not a simple urban area. so, nothing for you to twist from my posts.

murphaph wrote: »

These matters will increasingly be decided by the ballot box.

Ireland is urbanising. Same the world over. The special place rural Ireland had in the nation's heart is diminishing as more and more children are born who do not know their last ancestor to live in rural Ireland. My grandparents (at least my grandmother on my mother's side) lived in Avoca on a small holding but left the land to marry my grandfather who was in the army.

My children will not know any family who have any connection to rural Ireland. The politicians of the future will have to answer to a mostly urban electorate with no "spiritual connection" to rural Ireland. It is to be expected that this urban electorate's representatives will push to minimise spend in rural Ireland and maximise expenditure in their urban constituencies.

it's also to be expected that if rural ireland is bullied they will do what is necessary to stop it. and i will be supporting them 100%. my fellow countrymen will not be bullied for not living in an urban area. any decline of rural ireland shall happen naturally, but those who remain will not be bullied.

LeinsterDub

end of the road wrote: »

i didn't fudge anything. dublin isn't as much of an economic power house as it could be. it's still some bit of an economic power house though and is not a simple urban area. so, nothing for you to twist from my posts.

Dublin is an urban area. Any definition of urban area that excludes Dublin has been created to fit an agenda

Widdershins

murphaph wrote: »

I'd love to see thriving busy lived in rural villages but so long as people continue to live outside them they will continue to decline.

It is, contrary to popular belief, a relatively modern phenomenon to build isolated one off homes. Irish rural dwellers a hundred years ago mostly lived in clusters of houses. It's the era of the motor car that ushered in the current development patterns.

But the villages aren't empty, they're inhabited, it's not like the village houses are left unoccupied.

There's not that many isolated one offs anymore since they're practically joining up to form sort of country streets. It could happen that new businesses will follow. Anyway, not many have been built in recent years since the recession.

Widdershins

murphaph wrote: »

These matters will increasingly be decided by the ballot box.

Ireland is urbanising. Same the world over. The special place rural Ireland had in the nation's heart is diminishing as more and more children are born who do not know their last ancestor to live in rural Ireland. My grandparents (at least my grandmother on my mother's side) lived in Avoca on a small holding but left the land to marry my grandfather who was in the army.

My children will not know any family who have any connection to rural Ireland. The politicians of the future will have to answer to a mostly urban electorate with no "spiritual connection" to rural Ireland. It is to be expected that this urban electorate's representatives will push to minimise spend in rural Ireland and maximise expenditure in their urban constituencies.

That's your family and your story. This village has mainly old families who go back generations. Not that it matters as long as it has people.
Of course the world is urbanising but that doesn't mean rural Ireland is a write off, nor does itexcuse or warrant the anti rural attitude of hastening its demise, that is running through the discussion.

murphaph

Widdershins wrote: »

That's your family and your story. This village has mainly old families who go back generations. Not that it matters as long as it has people.
Of course the world is urbanising but that doesn't mean rural Ireland is a write off, nor does itexcuse or warrant the anti rural attitude of hastening its demise, that is running through the discussion.

It's not just my family. The trend towards urbanisation is a global one, well documented at this stage.

Widdershins

murphaph wrote: »

It's not just my family. The trend towards urbanisation is a global one, well documented at this stage.

I said ''of course the world is urbanising''

Balf

Del2005 wrote: »

How many people in rural Ireland can walk to their nearest shops or post office in 20 minutes? I'd say it's a tiny amount.

I'd say you are right, and the poster you are responding to knows that but has no interest in having a real dialogue with anyone. Grand. I won't waste any more of my time.

In Dev's time there was a rural vision, albeit a completely impractical one that collapsed in economic and social failure in the 1950s. Now, there's just folk stranded in denial without the capacity to move on.

Still a factor in politics, unfortunately.

Widdershins

Balf wrote: »

I'd say you are right, and the poster you are responding to knows that but has no interest in having a real dialogue with anyone. Grand. I won't waste any more of my time.

In Dev's time there was a rural vision, albeit a completely impractical one that collapsed in economic and social failure in the 1950s. Now, there's just folk stranded in denial without the capacity to move on.

Still a factor in politics, unfortunately.

Glad to hear you're finished making weird and rude replies. Your telepathy skills are terrible.

It's unclear to me whether that poster is trying to say most rural people already live too far to walk it in 20 minutes, or what they are asking or saying. They declined to clarify. I know what goes on in the rural area I live in rather more than you do, so no point in repetitively informing me I'm lying!

Jaycornyn

I don't get why it matters wether you live in a village or 5 miles outside the village? We all use the closest village to us. We use the national school, secondary school, shops, pubs etc. in our closest village. Why do I need to live in it to help it survive?

As for post offices. Which this thread seems to be revolving around. There are far to many of them for what they currently do imo. If they would try branch out into parcel motel and other services then they might have a chance. Where I live in rural Ireland there is a post office in both closest villages. Two within 6 miles of me. Might make sense to shut one of them. But I fear they won't do what will make sense and they will close both of them making the closest about 20 mile away.

Fewer Garda stations could work if they are properly staffed and have adequate vehicles. But they don't and won't. I know of people who got a ''all cars are out atm, sorry'' response when calling the gards. Which is worrying considering the rise in farm robberies lately. Of course it's because of the lack of staff and cars that there is a rise in rural crime.

If Fine Gael are trying to shut down rural Ireland it seems quite a few of you are in favour of that move. Do you think rural Ireland has nothing good to offer?

LeinsterDub

Jaycornyn wrote: »

I don't get why it matters wether you live in a village or 5 miles outside the village? We all use the closest village to us. We use the national school, secondary school, shops, pubs etc. in our closest village. Why do I need to live in it to help it survive?

Because you are already in the car and the sure I'll just drive 5 miles more up the road and shop in the town attitude kills villages

Widdershins

Jaycornyn wrote: »

I don't get why it matters wether you live in a village or 5 miles outside the village? We all use the closest village to us. We use the national school, secondary school, shops, pubs etc. in our closest village. Why do I need to live in it to help it survive?

As for post offices. Which this thread seems to be revolving around. There are far to many of them for what they currently do imo. If they would try branch out into parcel motel and other services then they might have a chance. Where I live in rural Ireland there is a post office in both closest villages. Two within 6 miles of me. Might make sense to shut one of them. But I fear they won't do what will make sense and they will close both of them making the closest about 20 mile away.

Fewer Garda stations could work if they are properly staffed and have adequate vehicles. But they don't and won't. I know of people who got a ''all cars are out atm, sorry'' response when calling the gards. Which is worrying considering the rise in farm robberies lately. Of course it's because of the lack of staff and cars that there is a rise in rural crime.

If Fine Gael are trying to shut down rural Ireland it seems quite a few of you are in favour of that move. Do you think rural Ireland has nothing good to offer?

It makes no difference if people live in the village hinterlands or the actual village. People are imagining and assuming those people aren't using any of the village services.

LeinsterDub

Widdershins wrote: »

It makes no difference if people live in the village hinterlands or the actual village. People are imagining and assuming those people aren't using any of the village services.

No they aren't. No one claimed there is a mass boycott of villages. They are saying they are dying a death by a thousand cuts. Like I said above the "sure I'm already in the car and I need a few things in Dunnes anyway" attitude is killing villages

Widdershins

LeinsterDub wrote: »

No they aren't. No one claimed there is a mass boycott of village. They are saying they are dying a death by a thousand cuts. Like I said above the "sure I'm already in the car and I need a few things in Dunnes anyway" attitude is killing villages

Why blame villagers for the competition from supermarkets? If they are driving half an hour (I know it's five minutes in your world) and battling through car parks and queues just to save 50cent on a loaf of bread, then they are foolish, and should support the village shop. But to do a large grocery shop in the village would not be viable.

I think more people need to support their local businesses when practical and feasible, so rather than sound the death knell for village businesses, why aren't people encouraging that? Additionally, village businesses including An Post outlets need to be smart about how they operate..