Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a question about fees applied to those small depositors who are least able to pay. Small savers and young savers used to be encouraged and adults who fell on harder times were not penalised. However, the reverse is now the case. Bank of Ireland is offering free banking for those with more than €3,000 in their accounts. What can be done to help small depositors? Is the Central Bank happy with this approach? Those with a small business loan or a mortgage may also have a current account which is running dry. These people are being squeezed out of the system. Where are they to go? I ask for the views of the witnesses on this issue.