This morning’s announcement that Bank of Ireland will close over 100 branches in the coming months represents yet another attack on rural Ireland, according to independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice.
The public representative for the Roscommon-Galway constituency noted that 20% of the closures in the Republic of Ireland will take place across the west and north-west.
Fitzmaurice said: “This is yet another effort to whittle down the services available to people in rural Ireland.
“To announce these closures in the midst of a lockdown heaps further anxiety on the most vulnerable in our society who prefer interacting with a human to complete their transactions rather than a machine.
“While the bank may point towards the uptake in online banking and the surge in use of its app, that will mean little to elderly people or anyone who is not technologically savvy.
“There are 17 branches across Connacht and Donegal which are set to close, according to this morning’s announcement – many of which cover large rural areas.
“The partnership with An Post is a welcome development, but how secure is this partnership moving forward?
“Given the state of play with An Post at present, could you depend on all of these post offices remaining open in the long run?
“In order to ease the fears and concerns of the communities impacted by this morning’s announcement, I am calling on An Post to give a commitment that they will renew the contracts of post offices in the locations where the BOI branches will close in the coming months.
“If a post master or post mistress retires or passes away, the community shouldn’t have to live in fear that they will lose yet another service,” Fitzmaurice concluded.
For further information contact Michael Fitzmaurice at 086-1914565