The €17m loss excludes an exceptional charge of almost €53m, which was related to restructuring costs arising from redundancy payments and an early retirement programme.
Under the Electoral Act of 1992, general election candidates may send one election- related item, free of charge, to every voter. Taxpayers ultimately foot the bill. In addition, the cost of post relating to the abortion and Nice treaty referendums, also held in 2002, was charged to the exchequer.
An Post said it handled more than 19m items from last year’s general election. Almost 3m items came from Fianna Fail, with a further 2.7m from Labour. Sinn Fein, which sent 2.5m items, placed more store in the postal system than Fine Gael which sent 2.2m items, the Green Party which sent 1.25m, or the Progressive Democrats which placed 1.2m items in the post.
Independents and other parties accounted for a further 3.6m mail shots. Aside from candidates’ mail, about 3m polling cards are distributed in advance of each visit to the polls.
Electoral revenues accounted for €2.3m of An Post’s turnover in 2001, when the first referendum on the Nice treaty took place.
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An Post recorded election revenues of more than €12m in 1997, the last year in which a general election was held.