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An Post confirms pre-Christmas delivery of parcels and letters received before deadline dates

21 December 2020

  • An Post is doing everything possible to keep supply lines open
  • Transport disruption is impacting last-minute letters and parcels to and from Ireland
  • Brexit preparation continues as we work to make changes as simple as possible for Irish customers

21 December, 2020:  An Post continues to handle record volumes of national and international parcels and letters this Christmas.    We are pleased to advise customers that:
 

  • all e-commerce parcels received in line with the deadlines advised to large online retailers are on track and will be delivered to customers by Christmas Eve.  
  • all International Christmas cards and smaller parcels received into Ireland in line with advised posting dates are on schedule to be delivered by Thursday 24th December and
  • all parcels and cards posted nationally today for delivery across the Republic of Ireland will be delivered in time for Christmas.
 
Last-minute international letters and parcels will be impacted  by transport disruption
 
Customers are advised that last-minute post to and from Ireland to Great Britain and the rest of Europe will be impacted by the serious disruption to international supply lines via Great Britain.  
 
“We’ll do everything within our power to maintain the flow of incoming and outgoing international mail.  However, current issues affecting transportation are increasingly outside the control of An Post as more European countries including Belgium, Sweden and Germany - one of our largest incoming mailers - temporarily suspend all despatches to Great Britain,” explained Garrett Bridgman, Managing Director, An Post Mails & Parcels.   “Through planning and early advice on deadline posting dates, we have been able to avoid the delays and disruptions being experienced in other countries as a result of Covid restrictions and unprecedented volumes”, he added.
 
Air freight capacity has already been seriously impacted this year by Covid 19 restrictions.  As a result, practically all incoming and outgoing international letters and parcels  are conveyed by ferry via Great Britain.   While freight is still moving between Britain and Ireland, there are significant delays and long tailbacks with hundreds of container trucks waiting to board ferries. 
 
Posting for Christmas within Ireland and Post Offices
Today is the last day for posting Christmas cards and parcels within the Republic of Ireland, for guaranteed delivery in time for Christmas.  More than 3.3 million parcels were delivered in the last week alone, up from 1 million during the same period last year, together with more than five million Christmas cards daily.
 
Post Offices will remain open until 1pm on Christmas Eve for posting and last minute gifts including One4all giftcards, An Post Mobile and Western Union Services.  Post Offices reopen and full parcel and letter deliveries  will resume on Wednesday 30th December.
 
Brexit
An Post has been working hard to prepare for Brexit and from early 2021 changes will apply to customers sending items to and receiving items from the United Kingdom (excluding NI) as it formally moves outside the EU. Timely investment in technology and two years of planning by An Post will assist Irish business and consumers when the effects of Customs changes and Brexit kick in as expected on 1st January. 
Garrett Bridgeman explained: “Our priority is to make the changes as easy as possible for business and personal cusomers.  An Post has also been preparing for the single biggest change to the customs regime in the history of the State: the implementation of Customs 2020, the EU programme to enable national customs administrations create and exchange information electronically.
“We have been engaging with business customers for some time and we have a suite of facilities available online and at post offices ready to assist SMEs and personal customers in arranging any necessary electronic customs documentation that might be required.”
 

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