“Donegal under threat”

Bank of Ireland is presenting the scheduled September closure of its Moville Branch as “take it or leave it”, according to Inishowen Councillor Bernard McGuinness (Fine Gael).

The proposed closure was discussed at May's Inishowen Municipal District (IMD) councillors' meeting (May 11), in response to a letter received from Bank of Ireland CEO, Francesca McDonagh.

Cllr Martin Farren described Ms McDonagh's letter as “just a standard response”.

Cllr Farren said: “I am not happy with Bank of Ireland's response. When I read through it and Bank of Ireland said, 'We didn't take this decision lightly' and 'Given the clear changes that we are seeing in customer behaviour, we are not in a position to change our approach in relation to these branch closures', I was angry. All of this happened during the Covid-19 restrictions, when people were actually asked to stay in their homes.

“The letter states, 'On average, there is a post office less than 500 metres from each closing Bank of Ireland branch. Post Offices have the capacity to manage cash (for both lodgement and withdrawal) on behalf of personal and business customers, and offer longer operating hours and Saturday opening'.

“As I pointed out at our last IMD meeting, there is a possibility of 200 post offices being closed, unless there is a significant investment in An Post. Bank of Ireland customers are being left with no choice. What we are reading in this letter is ridiculous.

“It is quite an insult to send IMD back such a letter. Bank of Ireland is going close the branch in Moville at the end of September and it is going to take away the ATM machine as well,” said Cllr Farren.

Cllr Farren asked the IMD to work as a team on the bank closure issue and lobby their individual party spokespeople on finance.

He added: “I would also be asking Donegal County Council to keep on as much pressure as they can Bank of Ireland. We can't walk away from this and allow it to happen. We should not have to accept this. The uncertainty of the whole thing, in terms of the post offices, leaves everybody in a very bad position.

“If we allow this, the next stop will be Carndonagh, the next stop will be Buncrana. Bank of Ireland is intending to close down as many branches as it can. It doesn't give a damn about rural Ireland. People are very, very angry about it, not just in my area of Moville. It actually covers the whole area along the Foyleside.

“This is all a cost saving exercise. The banks have plenty of money. After all they got millions from the taxpayer during the bailout. I am gobsmacked by the response form Bank of Ireland,” said Cllr Farren.

Inishowen Cathaoirleach Albert Doherty (Sinn Féin) said the importance of Bank of Ireland in Moville remaining open could not be overestimated.

He added: “There is the economic importance, tourism importance, and a local facility for local people. It is important we have a Bank of Ireland branch open, available and accessible for communities along the entire Foyleside of Inishowen.

Supporting Cllr Farren, Cllr Bernard McGuinness said a series of decisions were being taken outside County Donegal and affecting it negatively.

He said: “There is the closure of post offices and now the closure of banks. Donegal is under threat. We are being told, 'Take it or leave it'.

“We should take a stand at this. It should be discussed at Council level again and again and again and we should demand a meeting with Bank of Ireland at Council level,” said Cllr McGuinness.