The Irish national postal service An Post will hire 300 new employees for delivery positions. The increase in staffing is a response to a sharp rise in parcel volumes driven by the growth of e-commerce. In January and February 2026, the company recorded nearly 50% higher parcel volumes compared to the same period last year. Last year, growth was 27%, and during the pre-Christmas period, An Post delivered 3 million parcels weekly. A new, automated parcel processing facility has opened in Dublin.
Massive Increase in Parcel Volumes
In January and February 2026, the number of parcels delivered was nearly 50% higher than in the same period in 2025. For the entire last year, growth was 27%, and the pre-holiday peak saw 3 million parcels delivered weekly.
New Hiring and Facility
An Post announced the hiring of up to 300 new delivery staff and the launch of a new, automated parcel processing facility in Cheeverstown, Dublin, which is expected to be ready for the 2026 peak season.
Market Context Following Fastway Collapse
The growth of An Post's activity is partly linked to the collapse of the courier company Fastway in October 2025, which handled 25 million parcels annually and employed around 1,000 people.
Strong Financial Results
An Post announces that its financial results for 2025, to be released in the second quarter of 2026, will show growth in revenue, profits, cash flow, and operating profit compared to 2024.
The Irish postal operator An Post announced it will hire up to 300 new parcel delivery staff across the country. The decision is a direct reaction to the dynamic growth in parcel volume, driven primarily by the expansion of e-commerce. In January and February 2026, the company recorded nearly 50% higher parcel volumes compared to the same period the previous year. For the whole of 2025, growth compared to 2024 was 27%. Peak demand occurred during the pre-holiday season, when An Post delivered up to 3 million parcels weekly. The company's CEO, whose statement was cited in sources, said that „processing capacity is a key issue” in the face of such growth. An Post (Án Post in Irish) was established in 1984 following the split of the Irish postal and telecommunications service. Over decades, it has transformed from a traditional postal operator into a modern logistics enterprise, competing in the courier parcel market with global players. To meet this demand, in addition to hiring new staff, the company also opened a new, fully automated parcel processing facility in Cheeverstown, Dublin. The facility is expected to be ready for this year's peak season. The CEO of An Post emphasized that „parcel volume is exceeding all forecasts thanks to the growth of e-commerce”.50% — increase in parcel volume in January and February 2026 The growth of An Post's operations occurs within a specific market context. In October 2025, a significant competitor – the courier company Fastway – withdrew from the Irish market. According to the „Irish Examiner”, Fastway handled 25 million parcels annually and directly employed 300 staff, plus nearly 700 subcontractors and franchise workers. Its collapse likely freed up part of the market that other companies, including An Post, could capture. The company's earlier financial results already indicated a strong growth trend in the parcel segment. In 2024, revenue solely from parcel deliveries grew by 12.6%, translating to 20.8 million euros. An Post Parcel Volume Growth: January-February 2026 vs 2025: Volume from 2025 → Growth of 50%; Full Year 2025 vs 2024: Volume from 2024 → Growth of 27% The company announced that the 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 2024.