Government open to creating 'third force' in Irish market if Ulster Bank withdraws

The board of NatWest is to meet on Thursday evening to discuss a proposal to wind down Ulster Bank's operations here. Picture: Dan Linehan
The Government is open to creating a "third force" in the Irish banking sector if Ulster Bank withdraws from the market, the Dáil has been told.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that while the decision on closing the bank, which has operated in Ireland for 160 years, was a commercial one for its owner NatWest, the Government was concerned about the impact a withdrawal would have.