ComReg is the regulatory authority for the postal sector in Ireland. ComReg’s objective is to promote the development of the postal sector and in particular the availability of a universal postal service within, to and from the State at an affordable price for the benefit of all users.
Our remit to regulate the postal sector comes directly from legislation. Legislation fully opened the Irish postal market to competition in August 2011 and designated An Post as the sole universal postal service provider until August 2023. As the postal market is fully liberalised, our remit is largely limited to the universal postal service.
A universal postal service is an essential postal service, the provision of which is mandated by the State because the market concerned is not effectively competitive, meaning that there is no guarantee that the market, of itself, will ensure the provision of the service to all persons in the State, at an affordable price and to a sufficient level of quality and while upholding the rights of postal service users. It is a form of protection for postal service users, to ensure universal access by all citizens of Ireland.
The universal postal service protects vulnerable users and those that are digitally disadvantaged.
In Ireland, the universal postal service mainly consists of the posting of letters, a large proportion of which are posted by small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”).
You will find our Postal Strategy Statement 2022 – 2024 in English and Irish, setting out the trends and challenges facing the postal sector, our 3 strategic intents and 9 goals. The summary of our Postal Strategy Statement 2022 – 2024 is available in English and Irish.