Bank sticks with decision to drop Irish option at ATMs

Bank of Ireland seems set to stick to its decision to drop the Irish option at its ATMs despite calls from Conradh na Gaeilge for an “urgent meeting” to discuss the issue.

The bank said it was “not viable” to include the Irish language option in newer machines it was installing, given that the Irish option is used in fewer than 1% of all ATM transactions.

Conradh na Gaeilge has asked for an urgent meeting with Bank of Ireland to discuss the absence of an Irish-language option on its new lodgement and withdrawal ATMs which, it said, was going against a prevailing trend for other companies to increase the Irish language options available to their customers.

Julian de Spáinn, general secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, said: “Bank of Ireland created a distinct space for themselves in the market by virtue of being the only bank to provide an Irish-language option on such a wide range of ATMs throughout the country, Gaeltacht areas included.

“Conradh na Gaeilge firmly believes that it would be hugely short-sighted and regressive of Bank of Ireland to no longer provide the public with an Irish-language option on its new LATMs.

“At a time when private businesses such as Google, Microsoft, Energia, and Tayto are increasing the number of services they provide for their customers in Irish, and as thousands of potential future customers start in Irish-medium schools this September, it makes no business sense for Bank of Ireland to discard the goodwill and brand awareness that they have built up with the Irish- speaking and Gaeltacht community over the years.”

Bank of Ireland said it did provide an Irish language option on all retail ATMs (co-located within retail units) and on some ATMs within its branch network and also supported Irish-speaking customers by providing services including chequebooks, and withdrawal and lodgment dockets in Irish.

Asked if it would meet with Conradh na Gaeilge a spokesperson said: “We have nothing further to add at this time.”

Elsewhere, a new study into how new speakers of Irish react to learning the language has found many form an intense emotional bond with it, while others feel frustration at their inability to master it and others feel shame that they did not learn it earlier.

The findings are published in an articleby Dr John Walsh, senior lecturer in Irish at NUI Galway, in the International Journal of Bilingualism.

“These emotions include fear, shame, frustration, anger, pride, and a sense of well-being and they can impede or facilitate the transition from learner to new speaker,” Dr Walsh said. “So if we want to create more speakers of minority languages, or indeed if we want to facilitate integration of migrants, we need to learn more about the emotions involved in acquiring the new languages.”