Mr Aidan Kennedy has run the post office in Ballinakill, Co Laois, since 1967, first at his home and later at a rented premises in the village. He is secretary of the Portlaoise branch of the Postmasters' Union.
He was reassured yesterday by Ms O'Rourke's comments on RTE that the future of rural post offices was secure and the news that those running them will receive a 12 1/2 per cent pay rise under the recommendations of the Flynn report.
Mr Kennedy receives a basic annual salary of £14,836, out of which he pays rent, lighting and heating bills on the post office premises. Some of his seven children, now in their 20s, earn more than him.
The post office is his sole source of income - he does not run a shop, as do some rural postmasters.
"I'm lucky because I'm computerised. I'm doing well and I'm increasing the volume of work I do," he said.
However, he was relieved at yesterday's reassurance from the Minister. "My family didn't know where we were going because the closure thing had been hanging over us for some time. And my wages are not good enough for a family in the modern day. I'm lucky I have my family reared and that they're working."
He does not believe there would be widespread support among union members for a strike, if that's what it comes to. Those who run shops or other businesses alongside their post offices would not support a strike for fear of lost revenue, he feels.
"We don't want to go that [strike] route, but if we get our 12 1/2 per cent, that will bring us some way down the line."
South
In Banteer, Co Cork, the local postmaster, Mr Tom Hartnett, said that for the past 10 years his customers had read about the possible closure or rationalisation of the system.
Mr Hartnett said it now appeared the Government did not want post offices to close and the intention seemed to be to spread the services to other outlets where existing post offices were not viable.
"It's been very confusing for people who seem to read something different in the newspaper every day. I think this could become a huge political issue if the Government decided to go ahead and close down post offices in small rural areas, but it looks as if that is not going to happen," said Mr Hartnett. "I think what they are about is spreading the services to other shops, etc, in villages where the post office is not viable and that wouldn't be as dramatic an effect. In any case, I don't think Banteer will be affected by any new moves because there are no other outlets in the village."
Banteer is about three miles from Kanturk in north Cork. The post office, Mr Hartnett said, is regarded as essential to the village's social structure.
"We have about 65 old-age pensioners who come in each week to cash their cheques and, of course, we also look after savings accounts, postal orders, prize bonds and savings bonds. The post office is a place where people come to meet for a chat while doing their business and it is a very important part of life in the rural community. "I think our customers will be relieved to know that their post office is going to stay and that they won't have to go to the trouble of travelling outside the village to get their money or post their letters."
By Dick Hogan
South East
No one in their right mind, said Mr Sean Martin, would choose to run a post office. That's why most of those in the business were born into it.
The postmaster at Tramore Post Office, Co Waterford, said he and his colleagues are "flummoxed" by the Government's plans for the service.
"If they're talking about handing over the service to shops, supermarkets and petrol stations, then we're all gone, and the social side of the post office business is gone."
The postal service has always been an important part of his life. His late father Thomas ran the post office at Gladstone Street in Waterford and his brother, Tomas, is postmaster in the city's O'Connell Street. He took over in Tramore in 1992.
It is enjoyable but low-paying work, he said. "You're meeting the public every day. The banter is good and they appreciate the service they're getting. "They know they're not being ripped off. It stays within families because people get to know the business and to like it, but you wouldn't go into it for the money."
He is paid £60,000 by the State, but after he pays staff and overhead costs, his income is between £13,000 and £14,000, he said.
The Government is mistaken, he believes, if it thinks it can get a more cost-effective service elsewhere. As a member of the Irish Postmasters' Union, he took part in talks with the Minister, Ms O'Rourke, over recent months and believed the future lay in providing more Government services through post offices.
He received numerous calls from others in the business yesterday morning and people were prepared to take industrial action if necessary. "We would hate to close the door to our customers but that is something we may have to consider. The public is also very supportive. People have been coming in all day to tell us they'll back us all the way," he said.
By Chris Dooley
West
Six years ago, Mr Oliver Rooney, the postmaster in the small Connemara village of Inverin, had to rebuild his entire business after he lost his post office in a fire.
He views the decision by the Government to transfer postal services to retail outlets as a betrayal of the many rural operators who, like himself, have invested heavily in modernising their premises.
As somebody who solely operates a post office service apart from selling a few newspapers and cards, the decision will mean the loss of the business he has struggled to build over 10 years. He believes there is no way he could compete against local shops and petrol stations.
"I feel betrayed. An Post promised us originally that there would be no forcible closures of rural post offices and this was backed up by Mary O'Rourke as recently as our annual conference in May. Now she has turned around and offered post office work to other shops and agencies."
Mr Rooney said many of the 100 sub-offices in the Galway West/Tuam area had been modernised without any financial aid from An Post. Who was going to refund them for their investment, he asked.
By Michelle McDonagh