Members of the public – including farmers and rural community members – have reacted furiously to AIB’s move to turn a further 70 of its 170 outlets cashless in the coming months.
Following its latest review, some of its branches will no longer offer cash and cheque services at the counter or through machines inside the branch.
This means these banks will not have notes, coins, cheques, foreign exchange, or bank drafts, and will remove any drop safes and night safes.
If there is an ATM outside the branch where services are changing, that will also be removed, AIB confirmed in a statement in recent days.
It has released a list of branches where cash services are changing, the nearest AIB with full cash services and the nearest post office, which you can access via this link.
The changes will take effect on September 30th, 2022, and October 21st, 2022.
That’s Farming – www.thatsfarming.com – asked its readers to share their views on the matter.
Eamonn Mahon commented: “A shocking decision by faceless suits in Dublin. [They do not] care about the country people who are so inconvenienced by this.”
“And all afraid to come on TV or radio to try to justify it. Politicians need to take a stand,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tommy Mullins, revealed that he would be closing his account, while Aidan Murray described the move as “disgraceful” and asked how are our local shops and businesses “supposed to trade”.
In Gabriel Lyons’ view, “the country is finished”, while Marian Dalton described the move as “another blow to rural Ireland”.
Cashless Move: AIB
Finbar Collins remarked: “The Green Party talking about cutting emissions and car sharing, yet they close rural banks and post offices, forcing people to drive miles away. It does not make much sense?”
Marie McLaughlin said: “They tell us that we can use our post office to lodge cheques, but one of our local post offices still cannot accept them.”
“We will have to drive over fifty miles to get a bank draft. Definitely a step in the wrong direction,” McLaughlin added.
Darragh Roche said: “Are all the other banks going to follow AIB? I am very tempted to switch banks, but how long before the others do the same?”
James Flynn added: “I got an email to say I cannot lodge or take out money from the bank in Tramore and the nearest one to me is The Quay in Waterford, in the middle of the town.”
“What would take ten minutes is now going to take well over an hour,” he added.
Catherine Steacy commented: “This is the bank that received major bailout funds from the government. Surely the least it could do is provide proper service to its customers?”
Meanwhile, Geraldine Farrell said: “Terrible. More expense on their customers to have to travel to a different location to pay hefty charges to them. Sadly say it’s the way forward.”
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