Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also pass on my condolences to Senator Hoey and her family on their sad loss.

A large number of people from the campaign to save St. Brigid's Hospital in Carrick-on-Suir are today travelling to Dáil Éireann. They are coming to deliver 11,000 signatures requesting the reopening of the hospital. I ask the Acting Leader to make sure that the Minister for Health or the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will meet representatives from St. Brigid's today. They are going to be outside from about now until 4 p.m. They have genuine concerns about the decision made by the HSE to close St. Brigid's. All they are asking for is a fair opportunity to voice their concerns today. To get 11,000 signatures is significant in a small area such as Carrick-on-Suir. I ask the Acting Leader to do that.

AIB in Fethard wrote a letter to its customers last week stating that the branch in the town will no longer offer over-the-counter transactions such as cash, cheques, foreign exchange and draft services from Monday, 6 December. That is devastating news for the town. Many businesses in that area use it as their local branch. They are now being asked to move to Clonmel. The same thing happened up the road in Killenaule and the people affected were told to move to Fethard and use the branch there. Now the branch in Fethard is being closed and people are being told to go to Clonmel. People will have to travel approximately 30 km. I request that we ask the Minister for Finance or the Minister of State at the Department of Finance to come in. This sort of thing has been going on in every single county. It has happened in different parts of Tipperary, including Cahir, Cashel and Templemore, where Bank of Ireland has closed branches. That has a considerable and detrimental impact on an area. My colleague, Councillor Mark Fitzgerald, is meeting businesses and trying to get clarity from the bank. If the Minister could come in and make an overall statement about the impact this has for rural areas in Tipperary and other counties, I would be very grateful.