Little sympathy among public for the plight bank now finds itself in

AIB chief executive David Duffy must have privately shuddered during the week when news that the semi- state transport company CIÉ had to go cap in hand to the Government for €36m caused a public and political backlash.

Mr Duffy is in charge of what was Ireland’s largest privately owned bank.

Now it is almost completely State owned. It has cost the taxpayer €14bn to cover the losses shipped by AIB since the economy collapsed in 2008. There is very little sympathy among the public for the plight the banks now find themselves in.