Central Bank urged to halt AIB and Bank of Ireland branch closures 

Bank workers' union urges Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf to ask AIB and Bank of Ireland to pause branch closures 'until society and the economy reopens'

Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf. The regulator said it cannot require banks to keep branches open. 

The Central Bank has been urged to directly intervene and try to halt the huge number of branch closures planned by AIB and Bank of Ireland until the Covid crisis passes and a detailed plan is agreed on the future of the Irish banking system.

In light of AIB announcing the planned closure of a further 15 branches – including six in Cork– bank workers’ representative the Financial Services Union (FSU) has urged Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf to meet with both AIB and Bank of Ireland and ask them to pause branch closures “until society and the economy reopens and a full debate occurs on the future of banking in Ireland”.