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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Sean Fleming TD.
AIB's backtracking on cashless banking at 70 branches in Laois and other counties is welcome according to a Laois Minister who says their plan did not help trust in banks.
Seán Fleming TD, Minister of State in the Department of Finance where he was at the coalface of the row because he has special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance.
The accountant by profession was challenged to use his position to intervene with AIB by constituency colleague in Government, Fine Gael's Charlie Flanagan.
Minister Fleming did not reply to this call but said he welcomed the announcement by AIB not to proceed with the proposed changes to withdraw cash services in 70 branches throughout the country
"The announcement earlier this week by AIB proposing the withdrawal of cash services met with widespread discontentment by the public. The views of customers, businesses and especially vulnerable customers was not taken into adequate consideration.
"Public confidence and trust in the banking sector is vital. AIB’s proposed action did not help this," he said.
The Fianna Fáil Laois Offaly TD said a banking review to meet future customer needs is well under way and will report later this year.
"AIB are participating in this process and I am pleased they have now seen that this unilateral action by them was not appropriate.
"I am pleased that AIB engaged with discussions with officials from the Department of Finance and have decided not to proceed with the withdrawal of cash services as proposed. It is important that our banking sector fulfil their obligations to the communities they work for," said the Fianna Fáil TD.
Rathdowney, Birr and Edenderry were all due to lose cash services including ATMs under the plan. It would have forced people living in and around Rathdowney facing a round trip of at least 70 kms to Portlaoise to do cash business.
The State is a majority shareholder in AIB since the bank was bailed out during the property and banking crash.
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