Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Before I ask a brief question about the branch closures, I would like to say that people are hurting very badly. People are looking at options of heating or eating this winter. Some people will not be able to heat their homes properly or put food on the table properly. Banks are recording high rates of profits at the moment. The banks should absorb the ECB increases and not pass them on. If they feel they are not able to do it, we cannot afford to leave them in private ownership and we need to look at full-scale nationalisation.

On the issue of the closures, I would like to ask a question. The board made a disastrous decision, which was a complete misjudgement of public opinion. Has the board that made the decision to make those closures been changed in its make-up in any way since that disastrous mistake was made, or are the same personnel on the board today? Have there been any changes since the decision?