Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The service ethos and the customer friendly approach that most in this House would have remembered as part of the commercial main street-high street banking sector of years ago is all history. The service ethos and customer friendly approach has long been subsumed by the drive towards greater profitability, better returns and better performances. For a large swathe of ordinary citizens, it is a case of take it or leave it. They have little or no means to lever and no representation in regard to the banking sector. One is on one's own. It would almost invite a customer service user's representative body.

The Minister referred to opportunity and other thinking by way of opening up opportunities to the post office and other service sectors. Given that citizens need a safety net, what about having a State bank, providing all the crucial services in which the commercial profit-driven banks currently dominate and hold sway? Is that not the answer in a time of opportunity? Should we seriously consider this, given that the current providers have no interest in customer service and the service ethos that once applied?

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