The southeast area committee agreed on a motion back in April asking Dublin City Council to rezone the Rathmines Post Office after learning that An Post had plans to sell the building, which has been open since 1934.
An Post announced in February that plans were underway to sell the art deco structure, which currently houses the post office in Rathmines.
Labour councillor Fiona Connelly brought forward a new motion on October 14 at the latest committee meeting, stating that the reason for asking the council to consider rezoning the land was to ensure that the “iconic building” could be maintained as a “public asset”.
“The reason given is piecemeal, but it’s an iconic building that has stood the test of time, and I believe we should protect its use as a public space,” she added.
Cllr Connelly also said she was “very disappointed” with the lack of responses from both the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan, a Green Party TD, and Minister of State James Lawless, a Fianna Fáil TD, in relation to the issue.
In an April motion, which the committee approved, Cllr Connelly suggested rezoning the area to Z15 to “safeguard and accommodate institutional and community purposes”.
Councillors lack the authority to initiate a rezoning; that responsibility falls to council managers. However, Acting Executive Manager Frank Lambe’s response on Monday mirrored his earlier reply from April.
He noted that the site is “flanked on both sides by Z4 zoning.” He added that altering individual small parcels of land to different zoning categories within the village’s main street would lead to a “fragmented approach to zoning policy in Rathmines”.
He also said that rezoning the site “would not ensure the building’s continued use for public purposes.”
Z15 zoning permits a variety of uses, including “medical, restaurant, shop, training centre, public worship, primary care, residential institution, and childcare.”
Green Party councillor Hazel Chu requested that a special meeting be held so the committee could “tackle the issue”.
Labour councillor Dermot Lacey expressed his support for Cllr Connelly’s new motion, stating that he believed pressure should be “put on the relevant ministers” to maintain this building under public ownership.
He noted that the building could serve multiple functions, stating that the Rathmines area lacks both a community centre and a local heritage centre.
He suggested that a letter be written again to the relevant ministers and proposed that perhaps Cllr Chu and Cllr Connelly could hold an informal meeting for those interested in the subject.
The committee decided to pass the new motion and urged Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare to explore the possibility of rezoning the land where the post office sits, which would prevent it from being sold and converted into a commercial unit.
Mr Ryan and Mr Lawless have both been contacted for comment.
A spokesperson for An Post said: “In June, we announced plans to transition the Rathmines Post Office to a contractor-run operation, with the move expected to take place in the first quarter of 2025.
“The new post office will be located less than 100 metres from its current site, and all existing services will continue to be offered at the new location.
“This change reflects our commitment to modernising the post office network, with over 95pc of post offices in Ireland already operated by independent Postmasters.
“We acknowledge the rich heritage of the Rathmines building and are dedicated to ensuring its future aligns with the community’s needs.
“We are aware that the current building no longer meets the demands of today’s postal services, and we aim to find a sustainable future use for it.”
