A leading member of the Irish Postmasters' Union (IPU) has called for Garda checkpoints on the main Shannon bridges to try to halt raids by gangs on post offices.
Paddy McCann, an executive committee member of the IPU in the Mayo/Roscommon region, warned yesterday that the problem of raids on post offices in the west was becoming as common as attacks on the elderly in isolated areas during the 1980s.
"Special Garda units had to be set up then to solve the problem, and repeat action may now be necessary."
His remarks follow a morning raid on Ballyhaunis post office in Co Mayo yesterday in which an undisclosed amount of money was taken.
Staff who entered the premises at around 9am were confronted by four knife-wielding raiders wearing balaclavas.
The raiders left the premises at around 9.30am, and are believed to have escaped in a red Nissan car which was later seen driving at speed towards Knock.
Some of the post office staff were traumatised by the raid, and the post office remained closed for most of the day while gardaí carried out an investigation.
The Ballyhaunis raid follows a sophisticated raid on Athleague post office, Co Roscommon, on Monday in which burglar alarms were disabled and cutting equipment was used to get through shuttering.
There have also been raids recently on post offices in Ballymahon, Co Longford, and Frenchpark, Co Roscommon.
"Postmasters and postmistresses are being frightened out of business," Mr McCann said. A lot of the members he represented were "moving into the sunset years of life", and rather than risk being exposed to danger were opting for retirement.
"Many of these people are getting less than the minimum wage to serve the community, and have to pay for their own security, which is a ludicrous situation."