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| Post Office to close 38 branches | Post Office to close 38 branches |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Post Office is to close 38 branches across Northern Ireland beginning next month. | The Post Office is to close 38 branches across Northern Ireland beginning next month. |
| Four branches originally earmarked for closure - in Antrim, Omagh, Kilkeel and Newtownabbey - have been reprieved. | Four branches originally earmarked for closure - in Antrim, Omagh, Kilkeel and Newtownabbey - have been reprieved. |
| Post Office spokesperson Sheila McCann said the decision to close the branches followed a six-week public consultation that ended last month. | Post Office spokesperson Sheila McCann said the decision to close the branches followed a six-week public consultation that ended last month. |
| "These are difficult decisions that have not been taken lightly," Ms McCann said. | "These are difficult decisions that have not been taken lightly," Ms McCann said. |
| "We believe that the plan offers our customers in Northern Ireland the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the government's minimum access criteria and the other factors the government has asked us to consider." | "We believe that the plan offers our customers in Northern Ireland the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the government's minimum access criteria and the other factors the government has asked us to consider." |
| The four post offices which have been reprieved are Parkhall, Antrim; Strathroy, Omagh; Attical, Kilkeel and the Throne Post Office in Newtownabbey. | |
| The Post Office said it would continue to provide a service through its network of 496 branches, which "ensures that over 94.1% of the population in Northern Ireland will see no change". | The Post Office said it would continue to provide a service through its network of 496 branches, which "ensures that over 94.1% of the population in Northern Ireland will see no change". |
| It added that there were no proposals for any further closures in the Northern Ireland Area Plan. | It added that there were no proposals for any further closures in the Northern Ireland Area Plan. |