ESB sale - Shake-up for banks long overdue

IS it too much to hope some genuine competition will finally be seen in Irish banking as a result of the deal between the ESB and Bank of Scotland (Ireland).

By purchasing the board’s 54 shops around the country, the bank gains instant penetration into the high street market.

It also gives ESB a convenient exit route from the cut-throat appliance retail business once critical for the company. The offer of jobs to ESB workers is also a positive development.