An Post delivers €43m loss for 2003

OPERATING losses at An Post nearly doubled last year, despite company assurances last January that it would make a €1 million profit.

The company's annual report to be published next week records a spiraling operating loss of €43m, compared to €17.9m the previous year.

Although An Post's new chief executive, Donal Curtin, warned last September it was facing significant losses in 2003, the latest annual report, which was cleared by the Cabinet this week, confirms the company's dire financial state.