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Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Some Ulster Bank branches remain open today as problems continue

One TD has warned that the problems at the bank could turn into a ‘more serious crisis’ if it is not fully resolved in the next 48 hours.

A NUMBER OF Ulster Bank branches remain open until 3pm today as the bank continues to deal with the fallout of its major ongoing technical problem which has prevented customers from receiving payments.

A total of 34 branches opened around the country between 10am and 3pm today, with another twelve branches due to open for three hours on Sunday morning.

Yesterday the bank promised it would be fully operational again by Monday after it said it had identified the root causes of the systems failure. However RTE reports that the bank now says the backlog of payments is taking longer than expected to clear, and it is likely to be later than Monday before the problem is resolved.

A large number of customers who are angry with the technical glitch, which began three days ago, have taken to Twitter to express their unhappiness with the bank.

Tens of thousands of customers have been unable to receive money, including salaries and social welfare payments, into their accounts.

The bank has said it will refund any customers who incurred fees or charges as a result of the technical problem.

Meanwhile the Central Bank has been criticised for not intervening in the ongoing problems.

Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath this morning called for the Central Bank to break its silence and give consumers advice and information on what is happening at Ulster Bank, as well as reassurance that customers who have missed mortage payments will not have a black mark recorded against them in their credit history.

“The ‘technical’ IT problems being experienced by Ulster Bank since Wednesday have caused enormous distress and inconvenience for thousands of ordinary customers of that bank and of other banks,” said McGrath.

“This could potentially develop into an even more serious crisis if it is not fully resolved in the next 48 hours.

Previously: Ulster Bank says problem located, promises refunds and Sunday opening >

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22 Comments
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    Mute Mike Hunt
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    Apr 29th 2012, 8:46 AM

    I could say the alphabet backwards when I was 19

    77
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    Mute Revolting Peasant
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    Apr 29th 2012, 11:17 AM

    there was no support for me in school, i was reading at a 14 year old level and doing calculus by the time i was 7, i was reading dinosaurs latin names at 3,there were no resources in the 70′s and early 80′s when i went to school so i had to endure mind numbing boredom for 6-7 hours a day for 11 years, there was nothing the teachers could do, it put me off academia for ever, i just couldnt wait to get out of there

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    Mute Laura Farrell
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    Apr 29th 2012, 1:16 PM

    How about a case of a gifted young person whose financially challenged parents were repeatedly told their child had a “great future ahead” – which was interpreted by the parents as a great big dollar sign. The child was then told when they grew up they could “help” Mammy and Daddy which of course was correctly interpreted by the said child, who went off on a self destructive collision course to sabotage their own future as best possible, eventually culminating in a 6 month disappearance at the age of 28 leaving plenty of unpaid debts. A cautionary tale, but a lesson that parents should not have their child’s future framed in terms of how much their potential earnings are.

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    Mute Revolting Peasant
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    Apr 29th 2012, 1:31 PM

    i should also mention my own laziness there and not put all the blame on others…

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    Mute Sean Higgins
    Favourite Sean Higgins
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    Apr 29th 2012, 10:52 AM

    I could do my 7 times tables in 6.9 seconds when I was eight, now it takes me 6.9 days………

    34
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    Mute SeanR
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    Apr 29th 2012, 9:31 AM

    It would have been better to talk to the kids themselves than an educator who just speaks for them, no?

    Of course any child’s talents should be supported but it is better to let children follow their passions. In terms of education problems (as being a genius isn’t a ‘problem’ per se), I’d be more worried about falling standards in schools and about kids who go to uni and can’t spell properly, can’t formulate an argument and will only do something if it is “on the exam”… because that’s how they’ve been conditioned by the Leaving Cert. Doling out A’s and B’s just seems to enhance ‘entitlement’ culture that flourished during the Celtic Tiger debacle…

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    Mute Gay Pea McManus
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    Apr 29th 2012, 3:28 PM

    Try being a gifted kid growing up in a working class Catholic family, educated at a Catholic state school where any deviation from the norm made you a potential delinquent or a target for bullying. There are gifted alcoholics propping up bars in towns and villages all over this country, those who managed to avoid being labelled and institutionalised as many gifted adults were and still are I suspect.

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    Mute unadoran
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    Apr 29th 2012, 7:33 PM

    there probably are gifted alcoholics propping up bars everywhere…..but they have no one to blame but themselves….

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    Mute Sharrow
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    Apr 29th 2012, 12:58 PM

    “So, here, they can make friends and talk about whatever they want – comics, girls, cars, sports, whatever – just like any other group of kids.”

    Girls?

    How very inclusive of all bright kids.

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    Mute Jack Driscoll
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    Apr 29th 2012, 4:24 PM

    CTYI doesn’t accomplish a lot of its stated aims. Back in my day, a lot of the people who went there were hippie-stoner types. At least they had more then enough brain cells to murder with weed fumes…

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    Mute Michelle McMahon
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    Apr 29th 2012, 1:44 PM

    Could easily be confused with Asperger Syndrome based on the behaviours these gifted children exhibit.

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