New president of Postmasters' Union
A Monaghan postmaster was elected president of the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) at their annual conference at the weekend. Ciaran McEntee, postmaster at Threemilehouse, will be president for a two-year term.
The Irish Postmasters’ Union is the body that represents some 1,100 Postmasters around Ireland. They operate the vital Post Office network under contract to An Post and provide an invaluable service to communities, rural and urban.
Ciaran succeeded his father Cormac who had been postmaster at Threemilehouse for 27 years until 1989. His wife Marie looks after the day-to-day running of the post office and they have two children, Ciara and David, in their 20s.
Ciaran has been a member of the IPU since 1989 and was chairperson of the Monaghan Branch. He was chairman of the Cavan/Monaghan branch until his election to the national executive. He joined the national executive of the IPU in 2007 after the death of his good friend, Joe McArdle.
Apart from being president, Ciaran is a trustee of the IPU and is a representative of the Medisan Board which caters for members who are suffering from specified illness. He is also very active in his local community. He is chairperson of Sean McDermott’s GFC, and has been involved in the Social Employment Scheme for Kilmore/Drumsnatt Parish for more than 20 years. He has also been deeply involved in the Tidy Towns in his village.
Ciaran said: “ I am delighted and honoured to have been elected as president of this prestigious union. There are many challenges facing our members, not least ensuring the survival of smaller offices who are very vulnerable to the economic downturn and to decisions over which they have no control.
“The biggest threat to the post office network is in the fact that the social welfare payments contract is out for tender and could be lost to An Post. If that was to happen, some 400 post offices would close immediately.
“During my term as president I pledge to do everything in my power to ensure the sustainability of the vital post office network and to help our members in every way I can.