Griffith Avenue Sorting Office is due to be sold with residents across Drumcondra, Whitehall and Harmonstown instead required to travel to Finglas to collect parcels and missed deliveries
Fine Gael Councillors Gayle Ralph and Declan Flanagan pictured at Griffith Avenue Sorting Office
Dublin City Councillors are calling for Griffith Avenue Sorting Office to remain in public ownership and repurposed for community use.
Fine Gael Councillors Gayle Ralph and Declan Flanagan are calling on An Post to halt their planned sale of Griffith Avenue Sorting Office, which is located between Glasnevin and Drumcondra, and instead work with Dublin City Council and the Office of Public Works to investigate alternative uses. With the office due to close, people will instead be required to travel to Finglas to collect parcels and missed deliveries.
The councillors have written to An Post CEO David McRedmond, DCC, and the Minister for Office of Public Works following reports that the Griffith Avenue and Harmonstown delivery service offices are to be sold as part of plans to centralise services at a new hub in Finglas.
“We have been contacted by a significant number of local residents who are concerned about the future of the Griffith Avenue Sorting Office and the impact that centralising services will have on locals, particularly for older people, those with mobility challenges, and those who rely on local collection services,” Cllr Ralph said.
“This issue was also raised by residents attending our Saturday clinic in the Skylon Hotel. While we understand the need for An Post to modernise its operations, we do not believe valuable public assets should simply be sold off without exploring how they can benefit the local community.”
Cllr Flanagan added that “once these sites are sold, they are lost to public ownership forever”. With communities across Drumcondra, Whitehall, Harmonstown and the surrounding areas “crying out” for community facilities, childcare provision, healthcare services and other essential infrastructure, he said “it would be a missed opportunity if these strategically located sites were sold to private interests without first assessing their potential community value”.
The councillors said they are concerned that local residents have not been consulted on the proposals and have called on An Post to engage directly with community groups before any final decisions are made.
Residents have raised their own concerns about the sale of the sorting office, and state its closure conflicts with Dublin City Council ’s “15-minute city” commitments under the Development Plan 2022–2028. A letter outlining these concerns has been sent to local TDs and councillors calling on them to urgently raise the matter with An Post and the Minister for Communications.
“This decision would have a major negative impact on our community, which has one of the oldest demographics in Dublin. Many older residents rely heavily on local postal services and simply will not be able to travel to Finglas to collect parcels, registered post, or important documents,” the letter stated.
“During the lockdowns, our local postal workers became an essential support for many vulnerable and elderly residents. The relationships and local knowledge built up over many years are invaluable to the community. We are also hearing concerns from postal workers themselves, who are now expected to cover larger areas under increasing pressure.
“Residents on Griffith Avenue have already lost important local public transport connections, making access to services even more difficult. Removing another local service directly contradicts the principles of the “15-minute city” that Dublin City Council has committed to supporting in its Development Plan 2022–2028.
“The Development Plan specifically supports sustainable, age-friendly communities where residents can access essential day-to-day services within their local area without needing to travel long distances. It also highlights the importance of supporting older people to age independently within their communities and maintaining accessible local services that promote inclusion and quality of life.
“The proposed closure of the Griffith Avenue Sorting Office appears entirely at odds with these objectives.” They stated that the plan risks “isolating older residents” and “undermining the sustainability and liveability of our community”.
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
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