asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that the sub-post office at Summercove, Kinsale, County Cork, has been closed without any prior notice to the inhabitants of the area; and whether in view of the fact that considerable hardship has been caused to old age pensioners and others by the closure of this office he will now consider having it reopened.

Summercove sub-post office was closed on 22nd February following the suspension from duty of the sub-postmaster. Its closure cannot have occasioned serious hardship as Kinsale Post Office is only 1½ miles distant. No old age pension was cashed at Summercove sub-post office during the last quarter of 1961 and the volume of other business transacted there was so small that reopening an office would not be justified.

Is the Minister satisfied that the first intimation the general public got of the closure of the post office was when a notice was pasted on the window saying it was closed, with no further information whatsoever? While this post office was situated one and a half miles from the town of Kinsale, many of the old people resident in the area are much further out, three miles and three and a half miles further out. Does the Minister consider that that post office, which has been there for generations, should have been closed down?

No old age pension was cashed there in the past quarter.

What about its use for other purposes?

The business done in this post office was very small.

Would the Minister investigate the amount of business done there during the whole spring and summer seasons?

I have here some information in relation to the business carried on in the post office. A very small volume of business passed through it. As far as I am concerned, I do not think there is any justification for the continuing of this office.

Even for 4d. stamps?