Done.
AIB CEO Colin Hunt has said that the proposal for 70 AIB branches to go entirely cashless would not be revisited.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Hunt said that the bank had listened to its customers and the community in reversing the original proposal and that it was now off the agenda.
“We made a mistake, we had very strong negative feedback from our customers … who made it clear that they did not want this to happen,” Hunt said.
He added: “We’ve reversed that plan, we’ve withdrawn that proposal. It’s off the agenda and branch services will continue as they exist today.”
Hunt also confirmed that all AIB branches around Ireland would remain operational while he was CEO of the bank.
The bank had announced that selected branches would go cashless, and therefore would not have notes, coins, cheques, foreign exchange or bank drafts and would also remove any drop safes and night safes. ATMs outside the branches would also be removed under the plans.
The move was widely criticised, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin calling on the bank to “reflect” and “reconsider” the decision.
In a statement last week, the bank confirmed that the plan would not be going ahead.
“It was in the context of this evolving banking environment and the opportunity to enhance its long- standing relationship with An Post that AIB took the decision to remove cash services from 70 of its branches,” the bank said.
“However, recognising the customer and public unease that this has caused, AIB has decided not to proceed with the proposed changes to its bank services.
“The bank continues to retain its 170-strong branch network in its entirety and will also continue to offer banking services through its relationship with at An Post at its 920 post offices nationwide.”
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