Warning to banks to ensure top service

IRISH banks were warned last night by Finance Minister Brian Cowen to safeguard the reputation of the Irish financial services industry by ensuring high standards.

“I will never be an apologist for bad service to consumers or for practices that put at risk the reputation not just of individual institutions, but of the Irish financial services industry at large,” the minister said.

Mr Cowen yesterday delivered the inaugural lecture on Leadership in Financial Services hosted by the International Financial Services Institute (IFSI) which is based in the National College of Ireland (NCI).