Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I listened with regret to the response of the Minister of State but I did not raise the matter in the expectation of a miracle. I raised it because of the human factor. I have been contacted by many local people, in particular elderly people, many of whom are unable to access transport or a bus service to the nearest bank, which means many of them will have to go to another bank and go through the entire process of changing where they bank. Such a change fills older people with fear and might prompt them to withdraw their money from the bank and put it under their mattress. I would be concerned about that.

The proposed change to mobile and online banking might be progress for the banks and result in significant savings but customers in the area welcomed the personal touch from staff in Ulster Bank following the closure of Bank of Ireland. I did not raise the matter because I expected a miracle and the decision to be overturned but because it was important to signal the human cost to customers in my local area. Banks have a responsibility to look after people who supported them for years. I thank the Minister of State for his reply.

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