Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said, there are 88 branches serving 88 communities. They are large communities nowadays because a lot of branches were closed over the years due to rationalisation measures and there has been a loss of services to many communities. Any further diminution in banking competition in this country would be concerning. Ulster Bank is the third largest bank and we lack banking competition in this country.

The Minister previously told me, in reply to a parliamentary question, that he would expect the bank to keep its customers and employees up-to-date with whatever it was planning or proposing. I would also like the Minister to convey the concerns of communities and employees throughout the country on these suggestions and this narrative that have been in place for some time. I am concerned and I know the Minister has no formal role but there is nothing to stop communication being made through the Central Bank or the Department on the importance of this bank to so many communities and employees. God forbid the branches would close when one considers the small enterprises that have been affected by Covid-19 that are struggling to survive through the pandemic. Where would they go to transfer to another bank if they lost their current banking arrangement?

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