Noonan’s home village among those affected by closure of 44 AIB branches

Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s home village was directly affected by the closure of its three nearest AIB bank branches, which shut yesterday along with 41 others across the country.

Mr Noonan was born in Loughill, Co Limerick, which until yesterday was served by AIB branches in Glin, Foynes, and Tarbert, all of which closed for the last time yesterday.

People living on the Limerick side of the Shannon estuary now have to travel to branches in either Newcastlewest or Listowel.

“Bank branch closures in locations throughout the country are of course regrettable, but these are commercial decisions for the banks and the Government has no role in the decision- making,” Mr Noonan said.

The closures are part of AIB’s cost-cutting plan to close a total of 67 branches by next year.

AIB said the mass closure and the amalgamation of some branches followed a review of services and was a bid to return the bank to viability.

Head of branch banking Denis O’Callaghan said many outlets had seen a decline in customer visits.

“We have seen a very significant change in the way our customers wish to do their banking,” said Mr O’Callaghan. “As a result of this, many of our branches have seen a large decline in customer visits.

“Notwithstanding this, branches will remain an important part of AIB’s overall distribution strategy and will be complemented by an enhanced online service,” he said.

However, the closure of bank branches from Donegal to Cork provoked the anger of local communities.

The East Inishowen Business Association collected 1,400 signatures from the local community and requested that local management forward their petition to AIB plc chairman David Hodgkinson.

“Their famous advertising punchline ‘Be with AIB’ is ringing very hollow in our ears today,” said the association’s vice-chairman, Michael Doherty.

“If this proposed closure is allowed to proceed, AIB will have turned its back on the local community and businesses that have supported it since it first opened its doors in Moville over 100 years ago,” he said.

On the Mizen peninsula in Co Cork, AIB customers will be left facing a 200km round trip to their nearest bank after the closure of the Schull and Ballydehob branches. The Mizen peninsula is one of 31 locations where AIB plans to operate a mobile bank.

Goleen and District Community Council chairman Michael Collins said the residents of the peninsula were “dumbfounded” at the decision to withdraw services.

“We are being left with a shambles of a banking system,” said Mr Collins. “There was a travelling bank 40 years ago and we are going back to that.”

Mr Collins said people had voted for stability in the last election and what they have received is cuts to the banks and gardaí.