Just 83 per cent of mail posted in Ireland was delivered within one working day during the first quarter of 2009, according to new figures from the communications regulator, ComReg.
While this marks a rise of 5 per cent on the same three-month period a year ago, it is down significantly on the 94 per cent target set by ComReg for next day delivery.
The quarterly independent report on the quality of service performance of An Post shows that 84 per cent of mail posted in the capital for delivery within Dublin county arrived within one working day, up from 75 per cent a year earlier.
Delivery within the county of posting outside of Dublin saw a modest 2 per cent increase from 83 per cent for the first quarter of 2008 to 85 per cent for the first three months of this year.
The survey, conducted by TNS mrbi, is based on a nationally representative sample of 7,418 test mail items, posted and delivered throughout the state.
“Postal users, particularly those in Dublin will welcome the improvement in postal service performance. However, it is essential that the rate of improvement is accelerated so that Irish postal consumers benefit from a similar quality of service as enjoyed by postal consumers in other leading European Countries," said John Doherty, chairman of ComReg.
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