Politicians step up pressure on Government to intervene on bank closures

Labour Party finance spokesperson Ged Nash said AIB's decision to cut eight branches in the North must be 'strongly condemned' and cannot lead to a wider campaign of AIB branch closures across the entire island of Ireland. File picture

The Government has been urged to intervene and do more to block the State-supported banks from closing branches.

The call for State intervention comes as AIB – which is still 71% owned by the Government – announced its intention to more than halve the number of its bank branches in the North.