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

I thank the witnesses for being here this afternoon. I have a few questions on digitalisation and the proposal to go digital, as well as about closing some branches. What would the witnesses say to the suggestion from some quarters at the time that the decision to close the branches was revenge, given that it came so quickly after a major fine being imposed on the bank?

This was the bank's response. That is one question.

A separate question relates to and arises from the previous points made. Do all the bank branches that were deemed necessary or pivotal to the operation of the bank remain closed or open? For example, as the last speaker said about Blessington, County Wicklow, which is in a constituency adjoining mine, a cattle market exists there that very often depends on cash. Ulster Bank has closed there, while AIB is still closed and services have not resumed. They say it is a busy town and serves a significant outlying area in County Wicklow. The nearest branch is Naas, where there is difficulty in getting parking and there are long queues.

I ask for answers to both questions, addressing the revenge factor first.