Michael Healy-Rae has called for a 50% funding boost for post offices amid a reported crisis in An Post’s finances. 

It is understood that yesterday Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan briefed the Cabinet that An Post’s finances are in serious difficulties. 

While An Post maintains that at the end of 2024 it had cash reserves of €38 million, the Irish Daily Mail reports that Minister O’Donovan briefed the Cabinet that that figure is now below €1 million. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, the paper’s Political Editor Craig Hughes said the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is now drawing up options for the Government to consider. 

“It was relayed to me as representing quite a stark financial picture for An Post,” he explained. 

“Because it was the first time that the cash reserves had ever dropped below €1 million. 

“And Minister O’Donovan said that had it not been for the exceptional revenue generated through post for An Post, caused by the three elections last year, they would have had a substantial loss for the year.” 

Delivery van and bicycle outside Glenageary An Post sorting office in Dublin. Picture by: Alamy.com.

An Post CEO David Redmond has since told RTÉ that the report is "utter garbage" and that his organisation is “performing extremely well”. 

He added that An Post’s most recent report showed the organisation had recorded a net profit of €10 million last year. 

Also on The Pat Kenny Show, Minister of State Michael Healy Rae described the future of An Post as a “very important issue”, noting that more than 100 post offices have closed since 2018. 

“There’s only a couple of postmasters in the Dáil at the moment, myself and Robert Troy,” he said. 

“We’re a rare enough breed at this stage, but we know it from both sides. 

“I know it from going around County Kerry, for example, looking at and dealing with the small post offices that we have, that they’re providing a very valuable service.” 

A Post Office in Dublin. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

Minister Healy-Rae continued that the Government is “listening very closely to what’s happening on the ground”. 

“The post masters will always tell you, while we’re very grateful for €10 million that’s being provided by the State, we are making the point to up that to €15 million,” he said. 

“What is being provided is a social service, in that the local post office, in that provides an invaluable service.” 

With that in mind, Minister Healy-Rae continued that the State has an “obligation” to protect communities’ post offices. 

“If we don’t use it, we lose it,” he said, adding that everyone should use their local post office.

Main image: Michael Healy-Rae. Picture by: Alamy.com.