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"Be with AIB rings hollow" -
Moville protest
26.10.12
BUSINESS people in Moville handed a petition over to
the local AIB manager today demanding that the bank
overturn its decision to close the branch next year.
The East Inishowen Business Association collected
1,400 signatures from the local community requesting
that local management forward their petition to the
chairman of AIB plc., David Hodgkinson.
"Their famous advertising punchline “Be with AIB” is
ringing very hollow in our ears today," said East
Inishowen Business Association vice-chairman,
Michael Doherty.
"If this proposed closure is allowed to proceed, AIB
will have turned its back on the local community and
businesses that have supported it since it first
opened its doors in Moville over 100 years ago. This
branch has many thousands of account holders who now
feel totally abandoned.
"The knock-on effect of this closure will have a
devastating impact on the remaining businesses in
our town," added Mr Doherty, who runs a local car
dealership. |
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East Inishowen Business Association
secretary, Diane McIntyre, hands over a petition
with 1,400 signatures to Moville AIB manager, Gerry
Kenny, on behalf of the local community. Also
pictured are Donegal deputy mayor, Cllr Martin
Farren of Labour and the association's
vice-chairman, Michael Doherty. |
He said small, local
communities were now being made to suffer because of
"reckless lending" during the boom.
"The management and staff in our branch are hard
working and committed to serving the community, and
are also being treated with total disregard for
their futures by their masters.
"Given that the citizens and taxpayers in Ireland
now effectively own AIB, surely we are entitled to
have some input into the future of the organisation
and have this ludicrous proposal scrapped," added Mr
Doherty. The local organisation was supported today
by members of the local community, Donegal deputy
mayor, Cllr Martin Farren and Fianna Fáil TD.,
Deputy Charlie McConalogue.
AIB plans to close a total of eight branches in Co
Donegal. Milford is set to close next Friday with
Moville, Falcarragh, Gweedore, Raphoe, Bundoran,
Lifford and Dunfanaghy facing the axe in early 2013. |
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Members of the East Inishowen
Business Association and local community hand over a
petition protesting at AIB's plan to close its
Moville branch next year. |
Moville's AIB customers
will from next year have to travel some 20km to the
nearest branch in Carndonagh. The Moville business
lobby say a round trip to do banking would
constitute at least 1.5 hours out of a working day.
AIB today said the closures were "a regrettable but
necessary step". It said its customers in "closure
locations" would also have the option of carrying
out a range of banking transactions at the local
post office.
"AIB’s decision to close and amalgamate branches and
sub-offices across the country follows a detailed
review of our banking services and is a regrettable
but necessary step required to help return AIB to
viability and provide a return to the taxpayer,"
said an AIB spokesperson. Forty-four AIB branches
around the country closed their doors for the final
time today. |
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