Appointments missed and letters gone astray but An Post denies Cork service 'in meltdown'

'Elderly person sent important application form containing sensitive personal details by registered post, only to be informed that it has been lost'

Councillors have described it as “absolutely ridiculous” that internal Cork post has to go to a sorting office in Portlaoise and come back down to the county again.

Sick and elderly people are missing vital hospital appointments, some estates haven’t received post in more than two weeks, registered letters are going astray, and one man even lost his work permit after key documents were delivered extremely late.

Meanwhile, hard-pressed farmers are receiving milk cheques behind schedule, and small business owners say they have begun making their own deliveries because they no longer trust the postal system.