Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the work the Minister of State is doing in tidying up the licensing side of matters. Concerns have been expressed by RGDATA and other small business organisations about the practices adopted by AIB and Bank of Ireland regarding banking charges. For example, there has been a 165% increase in lodgment fees by AIB, the State-owned bank to small business. I know of a practice by Bank of Ireland, one I suspect also used by AIB, of designating certain days for lodging coin and others for lodging cash. As an experienced businessman, the Minister knows a small business will not know what day it will have to lodge notes or what day, coins. Has the Department expressed concerns to the banks about these kinds of decisions? The banks are making day-to-day business banking more expensive and more awkward. Has the Minister had any interaction with the banks on this? Is the RGDATA report quoted by the Minister earlier sponsored by AIB?

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