A junior minister says the government is undermining its own plan to save Irish post offices.
Joe McHugh says the entire government has to be on the same page if rural post offices are to be saved.
Last month the Department of Social Protection wrote to some welfare recipients encouraging them to have payments made directly to their bank accounts.
Minister McHugh regrets the move and says a working group is still trying to come up with ways of saving Irish post offices.
"Every government department must work with the inter-departmental decision to ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of post offices," said McHugh.
His comments come after a number of controversial post offices closures across Ireland in recent times.