AIB HAS WRITTEN to its millions of Irish customers to apologise for its, now scrapped, plan to remove cash services from dozens of its branches.

The strategy unleashed a wave of public outcry when the bank – in which the state is the majority shareholder – unveiled it last month.

It would have removed cash and cheque facilities from 70 branches, meaning those services would not be available at counters or machines in the banks. 

Any ATMs outside the branches would have been removed and the banks would no longer carry coins, notes, cheques, foreign exchange or bank drafts on site.

The mooted move prompted criticism from a range of advocacy groups and scores of politicians, including the Taoiseach. It even saw a group of rural TDs stage a protest in AIB’s head office on Molesworth Street in Dublin city centre.  

The plan would have meant that customers in some rural areas would have had to make lengthy journeys – over 50 kilometres in several instances – to avail of cash services.

After several days of mounting pressure the bank announced that it had reversed the decision.

Today, AIB contacted account holders across Ireland to confirm that it has decided not to proceed with the changes as it recognised the “customer and public unease”.

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“We retain our 170-strong branch network in its entirety and will also continue to offer banking services through An Post at its 920 post office locations.

“We regret and apologise for any upset caused and if you have any questions you are most welcome to drop in and talk to us,” AIB said.