Councillors get sticky on stamp price hike

Standing orders were dramatically suspended at Cavan County Council’s January meeting to allow debate over An Post’s latest stamp price hikes, due to take effect from Tuesday, February 3.

Under the new charges, the cost of a national stamp will jump by 20 cent, rising from €1.65 to €1.85, hot on the heels of a 25c increase just last February. Letters to anywhere in Europe, including Britain, will surge to €3.50, an 85c hike.

Since the start of 2023, An Post has now raised stamp prices three times, a trend Independent Ireland councillor Shane P. O’Reilly says must be stopped.

He said there is growing frustration over the cost of stamps, and this is being felt in particular by ordinary households and rural communities.

An Post insists the increases are justified, claiming they reflect global trends and remain below the EU and UK benchmark of €2.04 for a domestic next-day letter. It has also announced a new 'Rest of World' stamp priced at €3.95, blaming rising operating costs and a continued collapse in letter volumes - down 7% in the past year and more than 50% since 2016, with further decline forecast by 2026.

But Cllr O’Reilly said it was “no surprise” people are abandoning letter-writing altogether when prices keep climbing.

Though he did remind people to use their local post office or risk losing it in future.

Cllr O'Reilly's move to suspend standing orders to raise the issue immediately, began with a warning that waiting until the next council meeting would be pointless, as the increases would already be in force.

The Mullagh representative was particularly incensed given that Cavan County Council has been at the forefront in backing An Post in its bid to secure the Cash Payment Services contract, which guarantees over-the-counter welfare payments through post offices nationwide. Around 30% of welfare customers still rely on cash payments, according to the department. The new contract came into effect on January 1 and runs until December 2028.

Cllr O’Reilly said the deal underpins the “viability” of rural post offices for years to come but expressed shock at learning, just days later, that An Post CEO David McRedmond, in the role since 2016, was pressing ahead with yet another stamp price rise.

He demanded that the council urgently write to Mr McRedmond seeking a reversal, and also contact Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris to intervene on the matter.

The motion was seconded and backed by Sinn Féin councillor Damien Brady.