A retired school teacher from east Galway has gone on hunger strike in an attempt to save his local post office.

Michael J Kilgannon (74) has formed the Post Office Users Association, to campaign for retention of postal services in rural Ireland.

He began his action on Saturday and says he will continue to refuse food until Friday when Cappataggle post office near Ballinasloe is due to close.

An Post has told the Irish Times that the decision was made to close the post office at the end of this year following a full community consultation.

It comes as a new body has been set up to examine the potential and opportunities for new government and commercial business that could be made through the post office network.

The Post Office Network Business Development Group will launch in the new year and will be made up of people from An Post, the Irish Postmasters' Union and organisations from across the public and private sectors.

It will also engage with both commercial businesses, government organisations and agencies to assist in its work.