An Post boss David McRedmond has said the “tough” decision to shutter 150 rural post offices was necessary to ensure the survival of the network.
He said that changing technology - with the obvious move to email over ‘snail mail’ - has forced the company to adapt.
And that unfortunately the downsizing of the post office network and the closure of the sorting office in Cork were inevitable in the end.
However, the former TV3 boss was upbeat about the future of the company, insisting that the company can move with the times and continue to provide vital, and new, services to the community.
Mr McRedmond was speaking before the Oireachtas Communications Committee.
He told the committee politicians: “I am conscious that you have made reference to two particular issues, the post office network and the closure of the Cork mail centre.
“I have previously outlined to the committee how An Post has been changing to meet what are existential threats to the key pillars of our mails and our retail businesses.
“We have taken a series of tough but decisive decisions and we have embarked on a process of change and transformation to build a sustainable place for ourselves in this economy.
“Over the past two and a half years An Post has transformed from a rapidly declining, loss-making entity into a growing, profitable business with a sustainable future.”
He added: “An Post now faces into the later part of 2019 with a completely refreshed brand and with Digital transformation and the customer at the heart of our business.
“This is the second year of solid financial improvement, bringing An Post out of its loss-making position of €12.4m in 2016.
“But all of that has not been achieved without some tough but necessary actions.”
