An Post has gained permission to increase delivery charges, which will see the cost of posting a letter within Ireland rise by 5c.
The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has consented to changes sought by An Post applied for on January 29th last.
The cost of posting a domestic stamped letter will rise from 55c to 60c, and a large envelope from 95c to €1.05.
In a statement, ComReg said it “consents to the changes in charges for certain postal services within the scope of universal postal service relating to postal packets weighing less than 50 grams which were set out in An Post’s adjusted application of 29 January 2013”.
It added that further public consultation is not required on this adjusted application “as the views of interested parties have already been sought through Consultation 12/138”.
The statement noted An Post does not require ComReg’s prior consent "to increase prices for its postal services within the scope of the universal postal service for postal packets that weigh more than 50 grams and on 1 May 2012 An Post did increase its prices for such services".
The price increases had been sought in the context of a substantial loss of business in recent years, ComReg said.
This had to do with the global downturn and the replacement of mail with electronic substitutes. "While this loss of business has nothing to do with regulation or market liberalisation, it certainly presents a number of challenges for An Post".