Four local Bank of Ireland branches to close

Four local branches of the Bank of Ireland are to close later this year it has just been confirmed.

The closure of the branches in Kinnegad, Castlepollard, Moate and AIT are part of the bank's ongoing transition to digital banking, which has been accelerated by the Covid 19 pandemic. Overall, 88 of the bank's 257 branches in the Republic of Ireland are set to close starting from this September.

The closures will leave both Castlepollard and Kinnegad without a bank. However, Bank of Ireland customers will be able to access a limited range of services in their local post office as part of a new partnership with An Post.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Kinnegad based county councillor Denis Leonard said that the closure of the branch is another “downgrading” of the services available in the town.

“It will be a disaster because Kinnegad is the third biggest town in Westmeath. It is a vital service for the businesses and the town's huge hinterland. We can have a primary care centre that serves a massive regional population with many doctors and people on site and yet we can't have a bank in the town.”

See tomorrow's Westmeath Examiner for a full report.