Increase in the price of a stamp not justified – Ward

A Fine Gael Senator has today criticised An Post for increasing the price of National and International postage for the second time in a year.

Speaking in the Seanad today Senator Barry Ward, who represents Dún Laoghaire, criticised An Post for increasing the cost of postage at a time when people use the postal service more than ever and when its last annual report (2020) showed increased revenue (€915 million up from €892 million in 2019) and profits of €32.5 million.

Senator Ward said: “It ill-behoves An Post to increase the cost of their service at a time when it is not increasing the pay and conditions for post masters around the country.

“It would be one thing if An Post was increasing the price of postage to improve stem post office closures around the country, but that is not the case.  The CEO of An Post today said that the reason for the price increase is to deal with increased costs, the same increased costs that are affecting every business and every sector around the country”.

From next month, the cost of a standard stamp in Ireland will increase by 15c to €1.25 and the cost of an international letter will increase to €2.20.

“An Post enjoys an particularly dominant position in the Irish market. An Post should realise that, although it is a corporate entity, it is there to serve the Irish people.  Increasing the cost of its service may drive people away rather than increasing their profit margins,” Senator Ward concluded.