Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

How is the examination of the establishment of a public banking system in this country going? Today has been a very bad day for rural Ireland. We have heard reports indicating that up to 80 post offices are to close. In recent days, we heard the bad news that up to 30 branches of Ulster Bank are to close. Many of those branches are in the Republic of Ireland, most likely along the Border. The creation of another banking structure to allow people in small towns and villages to have a banking service should be of the utmost importance to any Government that claims to have a regional policy. What is happening in this regard? Progress seems to be incredibly slow.

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