Strong growth has BoI banking on record pre-tax profits of over €1.3bn

BANK OF IRELAND is set to deliver record pre-tax profits of over €1.3 billion when it announces its full-year figures tomorrow.

The bank has seen strong growth in its core mortgage business, where lending volumes have surged 26%, but lending to businesses and large corporates has also performed well and grown by over 20%.

But the markets are expected to look beyond the results and instead focus on getting further information on plans to axe 2,100 jobs in Ireland and Britain over the next three years. The plans, which were announced in March, aim to save the bank up to €120 million every year but have been vigorously opposed by unions.