Kildare Co Council to take action over vandalised former Curragh Post Office

Kildare County Council has said it will take enforcement action against the Department of Defence over the current state of the former Curragh Post Office.

The two-storey building, which has been closed to the public in the summer of 2019, has been subject to vandalism in recent times.

The issue was discussed at the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting on December 14 at which district manager Joe Boland said that a statutory notice was now being served on the Department.

The red-brick corner building, which dates to around 1900, was the first purpose-built post office completed in Ireland, with the exception of the GPO in Dublin.

Sections have been boarded up and there are panes of glass broken.

Correspondence from the Municipal District has been sent in the past to the Department of Defence, which has responsibility for the building.

The former post office had served customers coming from a large catchment area of the Curragh, Brownstown, Maddenstown, Suncroft, Athgarvan and Cutbush as well as the outskirts of Kildare town and Newbridge.

District manager Mr Boland confirmed in the past that an inspection was carried out by council officials following reports of vandalism at the site.

The council can serve owners of vacant residential or commercial units with official notices requesting them to carry out necessary works in order to maintain the properties.

General works must also be done to prevent the property becoming derelict.

Deadlines are also given for the completion of the works. Fines can be levied if a property owner is convicted in court of failing to to carry out the measures required by the local authority.