Latest news with #AnPost
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
An Post switching fleet of HGVs to fossil free fuel to cut emissions
An Post is switching its national fleet of heavy goods vehicles (HGV) from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to cut carbon emissions. The postal service currently has more than 200 HGVs in operation and is changing to fossil free fuel to support its 50% emissions reduction target by the end of this year. HVO is a renewable, fossil-free fuel produced from waste materials including used cooking oil, it delivers up to 90% fewer emissions than conventional diesel per litre, and requires no vehicle modifications. The move from diesel to HVO is expected to eliminate 6,000 tonnes of CO₂ from An Post's operations annually. That's the equivalent of removing 1,300 diesel cars from Ireland's roads or planting more than 300,000 trees each year. "We're designing Ireland's mails and parcels infrastructure for the future, to support Irish business for generations to come, and our commitment to halving carbon emissions by the end of 2025 and achieving net zero by 2030 is at the heart of this," said Garrett Bridgeman, Managing Director of An Post Mails & Parcels. An Post's 2024 Sustainability Report shows that 39.8% of the company's entire fleet now runs on alternative fuels, including HVO and EVs. "This marks a watershed moment for An Post and sustainable transport in Ireland," said Owen Keogh, Head of Sustainability at An Post. "The HVO rollout means we can deliver measurable climate impact nationwide — while simultaneously building the infrastructure and mindset essential for net zero success," he said. "Our progress is down to a continued investment in our fleet, our shift to alternative fuels and enabled by the exceptional colleagues who manage and operate our fleet on a daily basis." An Post is building on its successful trials of HVO in Galway and Cork, which it said delivered massively reduced emissions and improved fuel efficiency compared to diesel. To support this nationwide implementation, An Post has invested €360,000 in dedicated HVO fuelling infrastructure at its Dublin, Portlaoise and Athlone Mail Centres. An Post was recently ranked 4th in the world by the International Postal Corporation for sustainability performance and continues to serve as a United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Ambassador for Ireland.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
An Post suspends all postal services to Israel and Iran until further notice
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Irish provider said the suspension is due to the "non-availability of flights". "Due to the non-availability of flights into both Israel and Iran, all postal services to these countries have been suspended with immediate effect and until further notice," an An Post spokesperson said. They added that the ongoing updates will be provided on An Post's website. It comes as Israel and Iran have continued to strike each other since Friday, when Israel launched attacks on Iran's nuclear and military structure. Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris said the evacuation of Irish and EU citizens from Iran and Israel needs to be a priority. Speaking to reporters before the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Mr Harris said he spoke to the Irish ambassadors to both Iran and Israel for an update yesterday morning. He added that there are around 30 people registered in Iran as Irish citizens, and 200 in Israel, with some hoping to be evacuated if that option is given to them. 'In both Tehran and Tel Aviv, a number of people, a relatively small number, have indicated that should evacuation options become available, they'd like to be considered to avail of them,' he said. Ahead of a meeting of European foreign ministers yesterday, Mr Harris said the meeting should address 'how we can much better coordinate' efforts to get European citizens out of Iran and Israel 'if and when it is safe to do so'. 'None of this is easy. The airspace is closed, land borders can be treacherous, but the well-being and safety of European, and particularly from my perspective, Irish citizens in Israel and Iran, has to be a priority.' Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected US President Donald Trump's demand for unconditional surrender today. Trump said his patience had run out, though he gave no clue as to what his next step would be. Speaking to reporters, the American President declined to say whether he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic. The Iranians had reached out, but "it's very late to be talking", he said. "There's a big difference between now and a week ago," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "Nobody knows what I'm going to do," he added. Iranians jammed the highways out of the capital Tehran, fleeing from intensified Israeli airstrikes. In the latest bombing, Israel said its air force destroyed the headquarters of Iran's internal security service. Khamenei rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, which was his first appearance since Friday, and said Americans "should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage". Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Numbers prosecuted for not having TV licence down despite wave of evasion set off by RTÉ scandal
The number of people being taken to court for not holding a TV licence has dropped sharply, despite the wave of evasion set off by the RTÉ payments controversy . Raising fresh questions over the effectiveness of the TV funding regime, new figures show enforcement reduced after licence sales collapsed in the wake of the affair. An Post , the collector of the annual €160 charge, changed procedures at the height of the controversy because licence inspectors were being subjected to 'abuse and harassment'. The process has since returned to normal. The revelation of undeclared payments to host Ryan Tubridy two years ago this week triggered a full-blown crisis for RTÉ over lavish corporate hospitality, a failed musical and large exit payments for departing executives. READ MORE This led to more than 100,000 people refusing to renew their TV licence, prompting a cash crunch at RTÉ that necessitated a government bailout for the broadcaster to avoid insolvency. There were 947,924 licence sales in 2022, the year before controversy. But renewals collapsed once the disclosures started, with only 824,278 sales in 2023. There was another drop last year, to 792,243 sales. Under the system set up to increase enforcement and deter non-compliance, An Post can bring people to court for licence fee evasion. The latest figures show a decline in enforcement in the year of the scandal and the following year. In 2022, the company made 13,709 summons applications for non-payment and pursued 7,263 court cases. There were 13,198 summons applications and 6,555 court cases in 2023. This fell to 12,229 summons applications and 5,392 court cases last year. 'It was the case that inspectors on the doors were taking quite an amount of abuse and harassment,' An Post said. 'Certainly we had to amend inspection activity during the period of the RTÉ issue – and there was a cohort of the customer base that was unwilling to take out or renew TV licences for that same reason. 'But we have seen that change and many of those customers have returned to being fully complaint and the inspection campaign has returned to normal.' Asked whether Minister for Communications Patrick O'Donovan believed the licence and enforcement system was working, his department said it was 'critically important' that households pay the fee. 'It is not only required by law. It underpins availability of public service content which is of great importance to our democracy and society,' a department spokesperson said. The then government last year resolved to retain the licence fee but asked officials to examine 'potential enhancements'. The drop in licence sales continues this year, with 329,956 sold as of the week ending June 6th, down from 335,400 in the comparable a year earlier period. An Post did not provide enforcement data for this year, but it said the drop in prosecutions 'from 2023, through 2024 to 2025' followed procedural changes allowing inspectors to leave cards rather than calling into addresses. Prosecution was always a last resort, the company said. 'The emphasis is on encouraging and reminding householders and business people to pay their fair share and of their legal and civic duty to do so. Only when a long series of postal reminders and house calls fail to result in a purchase or renewal does a case move to prosecution.' More than 43 per cent of the An Post database comprises 'addresses entitled to free TV licences and addresses listed as having 'No TV'.'
Irish Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
An Post to vacate art deco Rathmines building by September amid local protests
An Post has confirmed it will relocate its Rathmines branch by September, paving the way for the sale of one of the most prominent buildings in the South Dublin suburb. It is understood that the post office will move to a Centra store in the locality. The move is part of a plan for six post offices, three in Dublin, to become contractor-run operations. At present, 95 per cent of the country's offices are already contracted out to independent business owners, who often run post office services as part of a local shop. READ MORE An Post said the Rathmines post office will move to a 'bright, modern purpose-fitted post office ... just a short distance from the present location'. However, there has been local opposition to the move and concern expressed for the future of the original 1932 art deco building. This will be placed on the market in line with An Post's 'responsible asset divestment protocol', which aims to identify 'the most beneficial uses for buildings in the next phase of their life cycle'. Part of this protocol included an agreement with Monaghan County Council to purchase the original Clones Post Office in 2016, which now operates as an artists' studio and gallery facility. An Post confirmed in February that it will only put buildings on the market 'when the new location is open' and there would be 'no break in services'. Labour leader and local TD Ivana Bacik said the building should be kept 'in community use', adding 'the State should not be selling the family silver'. She called on Minister for Communications Patrick Donovan and Minister for Expenditure Jack Chambers to 'give our community their word that they will not sign off on the sale'. She noted that while she was advocating for 'creative and collaborative solutions' to keeping the building operating, 'the news that moving the service may take place in a matter of months, and the sale of the building may take place soon thereafter, means we must now up the ante'. Protesters in Rathmines, Dublin, last year demonstrating against the planned closure of the post office. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill A demonstration will be held on June 21st by local activists and users of the service against the move of the service and planned sale of the building.
Irish Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kiera Dignam would love to see statue erected to honour late dad, Christy
The daughter of the late Christy Dignam has said she would be "honoured" if a statue was erected to remember her famous father ahead of his second anniversary on Friday. Kiera told how the Dignam family were blown away when An Post put the late Aslan frontman on a stamp as part of a special commemorative set called "Iconic Irish Voices" on September 12, 2024. The set also included stamps honouring Séamus Begley, Sinéad O'Connor and Shane MacGowan, all of whom passed away in 2023. Kiera said it would be "lovely" to see her father, who died from a rare blood cancer when he was 63, honoured with a statue. "When he died, we had people saying they wanted to talk to the local authorities." She told us: "It's weird but it would be lovely. It was the same when An Post brought out the stamp. When they approached us about it, I thought it was mad, but it was an amazing nod to him. It's lovely to have and my kids to have. "It's in the archives now so it's really special in that way but it was something he would never expect. We're normal people. It's not something we'd expect. "That would be an honour though," she said of a statue. Speaking ahead of her father's second anniversary today, Kiera opened up about how tough it is not to have her father's opinion when she writes new songs for her album. And the Dubliner said she was finding feathers everywhere she went after he died. "For a while afterwards, I was finding feathers everywhere. "I think the first year, you'd find yourself saying, 'this time last year' but then you get beyond that and you 'oh my God this time last year he wasn't here.' "Then that kind of freaks you out a little bit because you feel your memories are starting to get further and further out into the distance. "Then people say 'you have to just move on' but that nearly offends you. Like I don't want to move on. I lost someone I loved. I don't want to keep turning but unfortunately it does. "These are the songs I either stood in the crowd listening to or stood on the stage and sang with him. "It's a unique way to experience something in a crap way. It's bittersweet. It's nice to have those experiences but it also makes it very tough to be rehearsing on stage with a band and he's not here. "My whole album – anything I wrote, I'd send him on the demo asking him what he thought. I don't have that counsel anymore," she added.
