Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a matter I raised previously concerning the changes being made within Bank of Ireland. As of last Monday, customers can no longer speak to any of the bank's team over the telephone. Customers were not informed about this change and have only heard about it on going into the bank's branches. The bank is encouraging people to transact their business online.

A number of elderly people have called to my constituency about this matter. They have never used a computer and do not know how to access their banking to deal with their queries online. When they called into the bank, they were assured they would be able to use a telephone in the branch and speak to somebody at the other end of the line. This change has raised a fear factor for older people. They have been used to going into their bank branch and having an official deal with their queries, whether it related to their account balance, if their account is overdrawn or whatever the query may be.

Banks need to be more customer friendly. I understand they are trying to bring services into the modern world but this change does not suit everybody. Older people are fearful of it and a number of the bank branches that are close to where they live have been closed. They are now dependent on going into the few bank branches that remain open to have their queries dealt with. I would like the Leader to raise this issue. I have written to Bank of Ireland raising people's fear about this change. This is a fear factor for older people.