An Post missed its regulatory next-day delivery targets last year, achieving an on-time rate of 78% for single-piece priority mail, according to postal regulator ComReg. The figures mark a five-percentage-point decline from the previous year and fall well short of the 94% standard mandated for next-day deliveries.
### ComReg Regulatory Performance Metrics
According to data released by the Commission for Communications Regulation, An Post’s annual performance for single-piece priority mail arriving on the next working day sat at 78%. This result trails behind the 94% regulatory target set for the postal operator. When measured over a slightly longer window, An Post delivered 98.8% of single-piece priority mail within three working days following the day of posting, according to previous regulatory findings from the Commission for Communications Regulation which noted a baseline requirement of 99.5%. Historical data shows the postal service’s performance has not fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, with its peak performance reaching 90% in 2019. While the broader next-day delivery average sat at 81% between January and November, this figure represented a drop compared to the 85% recorded during the same timeframe in the prior year. Items dropped off directly at post offices recorded a 74% delivery rate, while mail deposited in street post boxes lagged at 72%. Mail items featuring typed addresses achieved an 82% success rate, whereas handwritten mail achieved 74%. In contrast, items collected directly from businesses performed significantly better, securing a 90% next-day success rate. Weather events also impacted network fluidity. ComReg data highlighted significant operational disruptions in January, including a five-day snowstorm and Storm Éowyn. Mail items posted specifically during these disruptive weather events were excluded from the official performance metrics.
### An Post Response and Network Strategy
An Post acknowledged the performance gap and outlined remedial actions to address network bottlenecks. Leadership intends to maintain active engagement with ComReg to improve service transparency and reverse the downward trend in priority mail fulfillment.