Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry to interrupt Ms McDonagh but while I am not criticising the bank for that also being its preference, I would have thought it is the bank’s preference to try to encourage more people to do their banking online. There is nothing wrong with that. I assume it results in a reduction of costs for the bank. The reason I am asking about this, and I would be interested to get Ms McDonagh’s comments on it, is that if these preferences continue, to follow her logic it inevitably must mean that a branch network for banking in Bank of Ireland in Ireland in the future is very much under threat. I know Ms McDonagh cannot give guarantees that branches will remain open but if banking practices by customers continue to be done online, what will be the purpose of having branches?