We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Updated 8.19 pm
BANK OF IRELAND says elderly and vulnerable customers will still be able to lodge and withdraw money over-the-counter after they were earlier criticised for ’abandoning’ some customers.
The bank is restricting face-to-face cash withdrawals to amounts above €700 in a move which has been described as a ‘final straw’ for customers, particularly the elderly.
Under the new scheme, BOI users will no longer be able to withdraw an amount less than €700 or lodge a sum less than €3,000 as a cash deposit or cheque lodgement with the help of a teller.
Instead, customers will have to use ATMs and computerised self-service devices in branches. Meanwhile the bank will no longer issue paper statements to the tens of thousands of customers who are signed up for their online banking service.
This evening, Finance Minister Micheal Noonan said he found the changes “surprising and unnecessary” but said it was a commercial decision for the bank.
The latest move had sparked anger from critics who claim that the latest measures will hit the elderly hardest.
This evening, the bank appear to have restricted the plan somewhat, saying there will be “flexibility for elderly and the vulnerable in relation to it”.
In a statement, Bank of Ireland says there will be assistance for some customers at self-service machines or at the counter:
“Bank of Ireland would like to confirm that vulnerable customers, together with those elderly customers who are not comfortable using self-service channels or other technology solutions, will be assisted by branch staff to use the available in-branch services.”
Daunting
Senior Citizens’ Parliament spokesperson Mairead Hayes had earlier told RTE Radio 1′s Morning Ireland that the measures could force some elderly people to stop going to the bank altogether.
“The figure of €700, a lot of older people wouldn’t have that kind of money,” she said.
They haven’t made any special arrangements and they are trying to make older people go paperless. While some people may be able to do banking on their phones others simply won’t have the resources.
“If people get cheques for any reason then they are going to have to do that through the machine. That can be quite daunting.
“Some people have this thing about keeping their business private. We feel that anything that might lead people to not use the bank or have excess cash is not a good way to go.”
Her comments were echoed by Roscommon-South Leitrim independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice who branded the bank’s decision ‘a final straw’ for the country’s elderly.
“The news today that the Bank of Ireland are to restrict cash withdrawals at bank branches to amounts over €700 is another indication that the main banks have abandoned their small customers,” he said.
“It is obvious that these banks, and Bank of Ireland in particular are not interested in dealing with customers face to face any more.
Despite what their TV ads might say, customer service in the banks is a thing of the past. In recent years the banks have persisted in attempting to get elderly people to do their banking online when many of those people have never used a computer in their lives.It is a gross insult to people who supported these institutions all their lives in many cases. This latest move from the Bank of Ireland will be the last straw for many people.”
Bank of Ireland has 250 branches nationwide, and currently boasts over one million personal customers.
- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Thought you were gonna start chatting bout a new Irish wine from Wexford or something going by the headline.
Me too!
Strawberry wine!!!
I’d say this has more to do with exchange rates than wine quality.
Chile is cheap, as is South Africa.
Australia is very expensive and the USA is going that way.
the cheapest wine will always sell the best in Ireland, sad but true
I get asked every day at work
” a glass of red please …… what ever is cheapest “
That’s because establishments charge absolutely ridiculous prices for an average wine. Sort out your price list & maybe people will be a bit more fussy.
never hear it in a bar, give us cocktail what ever is cheapest !!
taxes and profit from the bar make wine very expensive in Ireland. that’s a fact. But if you look at a wine at 5.99. Tax is around 3eur per bottle + Vat, shipping cost, price of the actuall bottle (.90cents ) etc…. it’s a bargain. Unfortunately it’s crap.
South African wines are amazing and great value at the moment with the rand
do lidl except rand?
…..don’t drink too much of it though, randy!!
Surprised New Zealand is so low. Best wine I’ve had in a while was Croatian.
Croatian wine are really good quality, but expensive even in Croatia. there are a lot of grape varieties there that you wouldn’t see anywhere else. There’re planting a lot of new vineyards recently, with grants from the EU. To encourage variety in European wines. Isn’t that nice.
sauvignon Dutch Gold. The finest.
if you exclude wine sold in pubs Chile would not be at the top. publicans choose the cheapest wine they can get away with and charge €;24 a bottle. its the publicans choice not the consumers.
We’d be partial to a nice chilled Chilean sauvignon blanc on occasions alright.
First got into wine on a trip to Macedonia, they make some fine wines which I must say seem to be underrated here in the EU due to trade restrictions.
With a hint of immigrants… lol.
Czech Republic also has a booming wine industry. Very little is exported, however there are lots of top quality wines here available, particularly Riesling types, and some lighter reds. Really affordable too with a good bottle costing max 10EUR, but average about 7 to 8.
French unsympathetic …. as one French woman remarked “If the Irish have difficulty with water, let them drink wine”
Very hard to get a non-Chilean wine in a pub. Am allergic to Chilean wines (something to do with the casks they use) and find the lack of other wines at times quite frustrating. Have come across places with 6 wines (3 red and 3 white) 5 of them being Chilean and the other one just about suitable for cooking …
Greek wine is actually very good though quite expensive. Most of the countries listed here can produce decent stuff though I don’t think I’ve ever had a nice Australian or Californian wine – very overpriced too. You can’t beat old world wines really.
Australian wines are lovely, maybe Ireland is importing the not so good ones.
Had a lovely Portuguese red the other day
Hmmmmm wine.
This doesn’t really stack up – the trend on more Chilean wines being bought here does not mean it is the most popular – it’s the wine that most importers are buying in and selling at low cost to pubs etc. If you look at the price index above ppl here are getting more educated on wines – the best value you will get on wine in Ireland is in the €15 to €18 range (taking into account production costs and the various taxes). So people are more discerning with their euros – Not much Chilean wine falls into the €15-€18 bracket so I am confused.
Put more tax on Swiss chocolate and French red wine. With double tax if you have them together in the shopping trolley.
Chilian and Australian wines are just good enough for calimocho, sangria or hot wines…
‘See ya’ – standards have slipped to an appalling degree.
Best wine I ever got was fortified wine use for communion, second was an organic Tesco wine…
A wine from France but I do like Monastier…
Italian, Portuguese and German for preference. Chilean for price but some of their Merlot is pretty good.
It’s me, only joking… Home brewing lol.
If you can’t take a joke then Blossom Hill to you all lol.
have your say