Written answers

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Department of Finance

Financial Services

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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387. To ask the Minister for Finance the regulations or policies which require ATMs to be accessible; and the body that enforces these regulations.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29599/22]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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ATM refers to Automated Teller Machines which allow the withdrawal of bank notes form customer accounts. It should be noted that the Minister for Finance has no direct function in the operations of banks operating in the State. This includes banks that the State is a shareholder, the Minister must ensure that these banks are run on a commercial, cost effective and independent basis. Actions taken by the banks are matters for the board and management of the institution.

The Central Bank of Ireland’s consumer protection framework is designed to ensure that customers’ best interests are protected. It requires regulated financial service entities to provide reasonable arrangements and/or assistance to people who may be experiencing particular vulnerabilities.

The Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code 2012 (the Code) applies to regulated financial service providers providing regulated activities within the State. Under the provisions of the Code the Central Bank expects that all regulated firms take a consumer-focused approach and to act in their customers’ best interests, particularly in dealings with vulnerable consumers. The Code contains a number of provisions aimed at ensuring that vulnerable people can gain access to mainstream financial services.

The Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) collects data on the total number of bank operated ATMs cross the country. This has been declining in recent years mainly because banks have sold, mainly offsite, ATMs to Independent ATM Deployers (IADs) and more recently also due to branch closures.

Latest data from the BPFI shows that in December 2021 there were 1,787 ATMs operated by banks, this is down from 2,353 in December 2020.

The BPFI do not have sight of whether the IADs maintains or closes ATMs after the purchase. However it estimates that the total number of ATM’s (operated by banks and IADs) was approximately 2,900 in December 2021.

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