An increase in the price of a standard stamp by 15 cent has come into effect from today, bringing the new cost of posting a standard letter up to €1.25.
It is the second price increase in less than a year, after it was raised by 10 cent to €1.10 at the end of May last year.
An Post explained the latest increase was due to inflation in the cost of transport, energy and fuel. The postal service has been under financial pressure due to the declining number of traditional letters posted in recent years.
The cost of posting a letter abroad also increased from Tuesday, up by 20 cent to €2.20.
The price of a standard stamp has tripled in the last two decades, from 41 cent in 2002 to the new cost of €1.25.
The price of a book of 10 stamps will remain unchanged at €11 until the end of the year, An Post said, representing a saving of 15 cent per stamp.
An Post has said the cost of stamps in Ireland remained “well below the current average European tariffs for high-quality letter delivery services”.
When announcing the increases last month, the company said it would help ensure the “continuity of next-day national letter services based on customers paying the same price for delivery of letters nationwide regardless of distance”.
In recent weeks An Post staff in the Communication Workers’ Union, the largest union in the postal service, voted to approve a pay deal for a 5 per cent pay increase over two years.
