An Post (English literal translation: 'The Post', English official title: The Post Office) is the State-owned provider of postal services in the Republic of Ireland. An Post provides a universal postal service to all parts of the Republic of Ireland and is a member of the Universal Postal Union. Services provided include letter post; parcel service; deposit accounts; a courier service (SDS - special delivery services); and Swiftpost, an all-Ireland next-day delivery service.
An Post came into being in 1984 when, under the terms of the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983, the delivery services of the Department of Posts & Telegraphs (P&T) were divided between two new organizations: An Post and Telecom Éireann (the latter being the telecoms operator now called Eircom). At its inception, during the early years of the Irish Free State, the Department of Posts & Telegraphs was the country's largest department of state, and its employees (most of them postmen) constituted the largest sector of the civil service. Today An Post remains one of the largest employers in the State, although it has undergone considerable downsizing.
In 2003, An Post rebranded its post offices network as "Post Office", with a new white and red logo, and introduced banking services in conjunction with Allied Irish Banks. This is thought to have reversed a downward trend in business. An Post, however, is still loss-making in parts.