Ms Gráinne McEvoy:

First and foremost, our expectation is that firms adopt a consumer-focused approach in terms of their engagement and their interaction and that all communications are clear and transparent to the customer regarding the actions they are taking. For example, in the context of the closure of branches, while our code requires that at least two months notice is provided, in practice, the notice period should be longer than two months. The approach is very much around ensuring that consumers are considered, factored into any key decisions and that there is continuity of service, which is critical in this context.