Postal Communications

The government is responsible for developing and maintaining an effective policy for the Irish postal sector. This ensures Irish business and residential customers enjoy competitively priced, high quality postal services.

In August 2011, the Communications Regulation - Postal Services Act 2011 came into effect. This Act provides the final stage in opening the postal services market to competition, a requirement of the third EU Postal Services Directive.

The Act also:

• sets out the regulatory obligations of postal service providers
• guarantees the ongoing provision of a universal postal service
• allows the government to establish, maintain and operate a national postcode system
• amends Broadcasting legislation, principally to give legal effect to Budget 2011 decisions regarding payments from TV Licence receipts, including a provision for the funding of TG4

An Post is the Universal Postal Service provider under the Act. It provides a range of services through its network of post offices. It also provides payment of benefits from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP).

The Commission for Communications Regulation sets and monitors the quality of service standards for An Post. All postal service providers must register with and be authorised by the Commission.

The Universal Postal Union is an agency of the United Nations. It governs the international postal sector and helps ensure a universal network of up-to-date products and services. The Union also makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services volumes and improve quality of service for customers. Ireland became a member of the Union in 1923. Three Acts of the Union are binding on all members. These are the Constitution, General Regulations and the Universal Postal Convention.

Each year, An Post receives a huge volume of suggestions for its stamp programmes. Suggestions are from various organisations, the general public and from all government departments. An independent committee, the Philatelic Advisory Committee, shortlists these suggestions and agrees the annual Stamp Programme. This programme is forwarded to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) for government approval.

Criteria for inclusion in the Stamp Programme include:

• anniversaries and commemorations of national and international importance. Preference is for significant milestones like 50th or 100th anniversaries
• contributions by Irish people to international affairs
• noteworthy aspects of Ireland, its life, country and people
• suitability of the subject for depiction as a stamp

For more information on this year’s stamp programmes, visit the An Post website.