IFA President Tim Cullinan has labelled the closure of 103 Bank of Ireland branches as a “slap in the face to farmers and rural communities”.
The Toomevara farmer estimates that 80 percent of the closures will affect rural communities north and south of the border.
Templemore, Cashel and Cahir are among the 88 in the Republic which will be closed by September, with banking services still available via local Post Offices.
Tim Cullinan says the partnership with An Post offers some solace, but thinks many people in rural communities will lose out nevertheless.
“What is important is that people can lodge money there so they wouldn’t be leaving it around the house – it is a help.”
“But at the same time business people and farmers like to be able to sit across the table from whoever they’re doing the business with. What we’re going to have now is faceless people – you’ll be talking on the phone to people in Dublin – and it’s much more difficult to conduct business in that manner.”
