The Minister for Communications Denis Naughten is under pressure to spell out a concrete plan to save rural post offices.

An Post said this week that 265 offices across the country may face closure.

However a government-commissioned report by businessman Bobby Kerr has previously indicated that up to 600 post offices are not viable.

Fianna Fáil wants the government to develop a Public Service Obligation model to keep rural post offices open.

Deputy Timmy Dooley says in exchange for State funding, post offices could be harnessed to provide other services: “There are many of the state services that I have identified, particularly motor taxation, access to medical cards and assitance in tourist information.

“There are a multiplicity of uses that can be made of the post office, what I am saying is these services may not necessarily generate increased income for the post office so that needs to be funded by the state.”