An Post has published the location of 159 post offices set to close, where the serving postmaster has opted to retire.

A voluntary retirement package was offered earlier this month to 161 postmasters.

An Post says businesses will also transfer to neighbouring offices at a number of locations.

In a statement, the firm says: "Post offices in locations where postmasters are opting to retire will close and the services will be consolidated with neighbouring offices ensuring their continued viability.

"Sixteen such post offices have already closed at the request of the retiring contractor."

The changes will affect post offices all over the country.

These include Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Mayo, Tipperary and Wexford.

The full list of locations can be found here.

An Post says: "All remaining post offices will benefit from enhanced services and products, new opening hours and an investment package aimed at improving services for customers, driving customer footfall and attracting a wider demographic to ensure that the post office is not just wanted by communities but is indeed relevant and actually used by all."

Debbie Byrne is managing director of An Post Retail.

She thanked the postmasters who have chosen to retire for their "great service to An Post and local communities" over many years.

She also says An Post is "committed to ensuring the sustainability and viability of the post office network and would move now to offer more new and innovative services to customers through the reconfigured network."

E-commerce drive

She says: "An Post is very grateful for the contribution of the postmasters over so many years. We will work with the communities that they have served to ensure that their needs continue to be met by An Post for the future.

"The An Post team has done painstaking work combining business and demographic data with extensive local knowledge to produce a network plan which actively supports the future of rural Ireland.

"We are committed to ensuring a vibrant network for all our customers through investment and the expansion of e-commerce, financial and government services to drive usage and relevancy of the post office in today’s changing environment".

The newly configured post office network is to be focused on three areas:

• Post offices becoming the backbone of e-commerce: offering the fullest range of parcel and mail services including out-of-hours collections, returns, tracking and redirection
• Community financial services: diversifying and growing financial services products for individuals and SMEs to include loans, credit cards and more foreign exchange products; local banking in association with the major banks and a full range of State Savings products in more locations nationwide than any other organisation
• Post offices becoming one-stop-shop for Government services: extending the range of local and central government services including licensing; payments for local authorities, fines and planning applications; digital ID and authorisations.

Details of An Post’s decisions on future local services - including Social Welfare payment arrangements - will be posted in each of the offices within the next two weeks.