Irish Postal Service An Post to Hire 300 Delivery Staff Due to Surge in Package Volume

Ireland's national postal operator An Post confirmed in February 2026 plans to create around 300 new jobs related to parcel delivery. The decision is a direct reaction to the sharp increase in package volume the company recorded in the first months of the current year. In January and February 2026, parcel volume was nearly 50% higher than in the same period in 2025. For comparison, throughout 2025, growth compared to 2024 was 27%. „„Volumes are exceeding all forecasts due to e-commerce growth.”” — CEO of An Post An Post (Án Post) was established in 1984 following the split of Irish postal and telecommunications services. Over more than 40 years, the company has undergone a profound transformation from a traditional, letter-based postal service into a modern logistics enterprise that must compete with global courier giants. The company's CEO, David McRedmond, stated in an interview with "The Irish Times" that "processing capacity is a key issue" in the face of such scale of growth. To meet this challenge, in addition to hiring new staff, An Post has also opened a new, fully automated parcel processing facility in Cheeverstown, Dublin. According to reports, this facility is to be fully ready for this year's peak pre-Christmas season, when the company delivers up to 3 million parcels per week. This dynamic growth in An Post's logistics activity is not an isolated phenomenon. In October 2025, a significant competitor—the courier company Fastway—withdrew from the Irish market. As reported by the "Irish Examiner," Fastway handled about 25 million parcels annually and directly employed 300 staff, while in total, including subcontractors and franchise workers, it provided employment for around a thousand people. The collapse of this operator likely freed up a significant portion of the market, which could be taken over by remaining firms, including An Post. Previous financial results of the company already indicated a strong growth trend in the parcel delivery segment. In 2024, revenue from parcel deliveries alone increased by 12.6%, translating to 20.8 million euros. Growth in An Post Parcel Volume: 2024: 0, 2025: 27, 2026 (Jan-Feb): 50 The company announced that full financial results for 2025, to be released in the second quarter of 2026, will confirm the continuation of this positive trend, showing growth in revenue, operating profit, cash flow, and net profit compared to the previous year. The decision for mass recruitment is part of a broader An Post strategy, which for years has sought to diversify its operations without abandoning its core postal service. As a state-owned entity, the company is obligated to provide a universal postal service across all of Ireland, which in times of declining letter volumes presents a financial challenge. Therefore, the development of the logistics and e-commerce segment is crucial for maintaining profitability. This expansion is taking place under conditions of increasing competition in the Irish market, where international courier firms such as DPD, DHL, and UPS also operate. The planned new jobs are significant for the Irish labor market as they concern not only the capital but also regions. An Post emphasizes that the positions will be offered in various locations across the country, which could have a positive impact on local job markets.25 mln — annual number of parcels handled by the defunct Fastway The entire situation is also an example of a broader trend in the economy, where traditional postal operators are forced to undergo deep transformations in response to digitalization and changing consumer habits, which are increasingly shifting towards online shopping.