Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I am still a little at sea but more about that later. I should mention I am a customer of the bank and have been for many years. In the business I am in, where we start at 8 a.m. or 8.30 a.m. and finish at 1 a.m. the following morning, one does not get the chance to call into the bank very often. However, I called in recently to close the account and offered to pay off any outstanding balances, which were not very much. I was told I must have it in cash. Where would I get cash, since I do not have cash and do not carry it around with me? Obviously, I had to go the same bank's cash machine in order to get some. My point is that if the banks want to facilitate the public, and I assume that would be the intention, they should make it so accounts can be closed without too much hassle. For example, in respect of a joint account, it is not possible for myself and my wife to be in the same bank at the same time during the working week. It just is not possible.