Broderick is banking on a miracle

As head of the Irish Bank Officials Association, Larry Broderick is charged with the unenviable task of negotiating the best deal possible for 2,500 AIB workers while keeping compulsory redundancies off the table, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

These are dark days for all those working at the coalface of Irish banking. This week, the axe finally fell at AIB, who confirmed 2,500 job losses across the island, with at least 2,200 jobs going in the Republic.

That this long-dreaded announcement has come much later than expected will be cold comfort to those involved, not least because it was originally anticipated that around 2,000 would be let go.