Mar 10
8
Another attack on rural post offices as they are scratched off National Lottery list – Ring
MIchael Ring TD
Fine Gael Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Spokesperson, Michael Ring TD, today (Monday) called on the Rural Affairs Minister to intervene as the National Lottery is withdrawing agency authorisation for the sale of scratch cards from rural post offices.
“I have been made aware of letters from the National Lottery head office to a number of local post offices telling them that their authorisation as a National Lottery retail sales agent is being withdrawn.
“This is another attack on rural post offices, many of which have been forced to close in recent years, and on rural people who see more services which are readily available in urban areas denied to them. Pensioners, in particular, who are weekly users of their local post office and who may enjoy a harmless flutter on a scratch card will be upset that it is no longer available.
“The National Lottery is a Government Agency and if it is truly Government policy to decentralise its agencies then how can they justify taking away another service from rural Ireland? The Government must immediately intervene to stop this from happening and I am calling on the Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O Cuiv, to do so.”
