An Post faces €12m fine over failure to hit targets

An Post is facing a fine of up to €12 million for its failure to reach delivery targets set by the communications regulator, ComReg.

In 2004, ComReg told An Post it had to achieve a next-day delivery standard of 94% for single piece priority mail delivered within the State.

However, seven years later, An Post was nowhere near that target. By the third quarter of 2011, it had only achieved 84% next day delivery.

ComReg has run out of patience and has initiated legal proceedings against the country’s designated universal postal provider. The maximum fine An Post could face is €12m.

An Post said it would contest the legal action “vigorously”.

Steve Fitzpatrick, general secretary of the Communications Workers Union, which represents many An Post staff, said Comreg’s move was “an outrageous and wasteful attack by an unaccountable quango against An Post and the Irish postal service that will result in the loss of thousands of jobs”.