Independent TD, Danny Healy-Rae, has described AIB’s move to turn 70 more of its banks cashless in the coming months as “deplorable”.
He says that many people in Ireland will not be “left without cash” as a result.
The move is in response to the cost of cash services – security and handling – becoming “increasingly unsustainable with digital usage soaring”.
AIB has also cited the “falling” levels of cash usage and cheque transactions.
It will remove cash, ATM, and cheque services from some branches. The changes will take effect on September 30th, 2022, and October 21st, 2022.
An AIB spokesperson said:
“Some of our branches will no longer offer cash and cheque services at the counter or through machines inside the branch.”
“This means we will not have notes, coins, cheques, foreign exchange, 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.”
In his own constituency, Healy-Rae says the move particularly impacts branches of AIB in Kerry – Kenmare, Castleisland, Killorglin, Cahersiveen and Dingle.
Cashless Banks
In a statement to That’s Farming on Wednesday, July 20th, the deputy said:
“Many people still use and need cash to survive. Many businesses, farmers, tradesmen, and elderly people will not be able to manage and will not be able to get change or make lodgements.”
“It will be setting up families and households for more robberies. The government already closed a lot of post offices, and they still want to close more of them.”
“Now they are downgrading the banks and telling us to go to the post offices. Are they all raving or what?” he asked.
“The government has a large share in the bank. Why is the government totally silent on this? I am calling on the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and the government to step in as everyone is still paying for bailing out the banks in 2009,” he concluded.
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