Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his very frank and fair reply, as usual. It would be unusual if he were to be in any way discourteous to me. However, it is cold comfort. I accept the Minister of State is between a rock and a hard place.

AIB has an obligation to ensure its business is commercially viable. Nevertheless, the decision, taken without prior consultation with customers, to discontinue services to these communities was a terrible blow. An indication was given to local public representatives, including me, some 12 months ago that the Ballydehob branch, because it was open for only a small number of hours per week, was not viable. The closure of the Schull branch, however, was a hammer blow. Schull is some 16 miles from Skibbereen, which means that entire end of the peninsula is without banking services. While the young whippersnappers will probably be able to do their banking online, others, including the elderly, will be very discommoded. It will also have a negative impact on businesses which handle large volumes of cash, such as restaurants, pubs and so on. Such premises will be a honey pot for criminals because it will be known that cash is being deposited in banks less often.

The bottom line is that AIB owes a duty of service to the people of this remote community. There has been no engagement, however, and it refused to send a representative to the recent public meeting. People in Schull have given the bank their custom for many years. While I accept that the Ballydehob branch does not have a future, I urge the Minister of State to convey to the management of the bank the urgent need to reconsider its decision regarding Schull.