Laois councillors slam AIB bank cash cut 'an insult and a disgrace'

Laois councillors are demanding that the Government stops AIB Bank from ending its cash services at 70 branches, including one in Laois.

The end of the Rathdowney branch serving cash to customers means that there will now be just one bank giving cash in the western side of Laois where 30,000 people live. That sole bank is the Bank of Ireland branch in Mountmellick.

Laois councillors are demanding that Minister for Finance Paschal Donohue force a reversal of the bank's decision.

Fine Gael Cllr John King has branded the cut as "an insult and a disgrace", speaking at the July meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory Municipal District.

"Not too long ago they were coming to schools enticing young people to open accounts, giving them €25 to lodge in an account and we supported them. What do these people do now? It is an insult and a disgrace. One way of insulting rural people is pulling the plug on the service in a local bank.

"Rathdowney serves a hinterland of 20 kilometers. This requires people to hold onto their money. There is a danger that AIB in Roscrea will close down the road. The Bank of Ireland in Abbeyleix is on a busy road known for accidents. It's hard enough for the people of Abbeyleix to get parking and then cross a busy road.

"I understand that the cash business is to go to post offices, but some of our post offices are in shops. I got calls about this. Dealing with money is a private business, you need privacy," he said.

Fianna Fáil's Cllr Paddy Bracken, chair of the MD, agrees.

"It is devastating to a town like Rathdowney. It is disgraceful to think people are banking there for years, they kept the town going and they walk away now. We should write to ask them to reverse the decision," he said.

"It is an out and out disgrace," says Cllr Ollie Clooney who described the bank's action as "death by 1,000 cuts", as it follows the closure of Bank of Ireland branches in Rathdowney, Mountrath and Durrow last year. 

Rear access blocked to Laois town's heritage houses

"It's not that long ago that AIB was bailed out by the taxpayer. There is an older generation that does not have cards and want to see a human face.  They should never have been bailed out, now they are running away with the money. The Minister for Finance has to wake up and be tougher. He's chair of these banks. What is he doing, sitting idly by. We want to improve rural Ireland not run it down," he said.

There is no bank left in Mountrath, said Cllr James Kelly.

"Any small business, pub or supermarket has to drive to Portlaoise with their cash. Anyone in Borris-in-Ossory has to go to Roscrea, and in Rathdowney they have to go to Roscrea or Abbeyleix. We're putting more hardship on businesses and on the elderly. We bailed them out and all they've done now is left us out on a limb," he said. 

Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin said that with the recent closures, the only bank in the entire district is at Mountmellick.

"It's crazy. The population is increasing. A bank not serving cash is not fully a bank. I urge the Minister for Finance to intervene. 

AIB announced the move on July 19, claiming that demand for cash services has dropped and the cost of security has risen.

Laois County Council will now write to the Department of Finance requesting that the bank's decision be refused.