Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is partly a statistical phenomenon, but that phenomenon is supposed to be explained to people. For example, it is not sufficient to say that there is general inflation and that we will be hit by it the same as everyone else. That does not always apply. There is inflation that is attributable to a particular issue and there is inflation which is not. The inflation which is not attributable is what I am talking about.

I will move on if I can to something else. The Governor referred to the shift in focus in his opening statement. I welcome that. It may not be in this session, but in the next session we may need to look more at the disappearing banks all over the country. Obviously, it will make a difference to the profit of the banks. The commercial banks will say they could not afford the same level of staffing as they had previously with the same number of branches open, but there is a problem and a downside. The banking system is becoming less personal and for many customers throughout the country there is a reliance on the ability to talk to their bank manager about their business and to seek his or her advice. That is diminishing and disappearing.