Communications Minister Denis Naughten will appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Communications over plans to close 159 post offices.

The restructuring plan, which was worked out between An Post and the Irish Postmasters' Union (IPU), has been criticised by some over its likely impact on rural communities.

The changes will affect post offices all over the country.

These include Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Mayo, Tipperary and Wexford.

An Post says businesses will also transfer to neighbouring offices at a number of locations.

The meeting will also be attended by representatives from An Post, the Post Office Networks and representatives of An Post Mailing Centres.

The Postmasters Union in Dublin | Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

Speaking ahead of the meeting, convenor of the Rural Independent Group Mattie McGrath says they will be demanding answers over the scale of the closures.

"Last year when news broke that up to 80 post offices were being earmarked for closure, it was devastating news for communities in rural Ireland.

"Now it has emerged that this so-called 'deal' between An Post and the IPU will lead to the closure of 159 rural post offices in a restructuring plan that is being sold as 'progress' and essentially beneficial for the future of the post office network.

"That in itself tells us all we need to know about the direction of travel that this government and An Post are moving in in terms of a real and substantial commitment to rural Ireland.

"The facts of the matter are that on November 16th last the government accepted a Dáil motion that - and my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group put forward; a motion that laid out a clear pathway toward the survival of the post office network.

"Unfortunately since then all we have had is empty rhetoric about a commitment to rural Ireland and the vital services that underpin it."