Only bank in ferbane to close in march

Campaigners have confirmed the only bank in Ferbane is now certain to close on Friday, March 20.

The campaign has forced concessions and may lead to protocols on the withdrawal of services from rural areas.

Ferbane Bank Action Group’s Diarmuid Guinan said: “We have to now accept that the bank is going to close and we are now looking to secure the best deal for the community.'

The campaign to have the bank closure reversed has failed in that we are not going to get the outcome that we had ultimately pursued,” he admitted.

“It’s very disappointing that the town and West Offaly is going to be left without a bank,” Mr Guinan remarked.  

A recent protest planned at all entrance routes to the Aviva Stadium, where Ulster Bank’s parent company RBS sponsored the Ireland Vs France rugby match, was cancelled in the final stages of preparation last week. 

Mr Guinan explained that campaigners “had pulled the march in the Aviva on the grounds that negotiations would start in terms of what can this campaign deliver for the community.”

Although their ultimate goal of retaining the bank was not achieved, Mr Guinan said, “Ulster Bank will deliver limited banking to their account holders through the An Post network the Monday after the bank closes.” The services will be limited and will only allow for cash and cheque lodgements.

Ulster Bank has also agreed to retain the ATM in the Ulster Bank building in Ferbane for at least 18 months. Lastly, negotiations are to continue in order to try and “retain the building as an asset for the community,” explained Mr Guinan.  

During the course of the campaign, the action group met with Minister with special responsibility for rural affairs, Ann Phelan. “Minister Ann Phelan is now looking at establishing a set of protocols using the Ferbane model,” revealed Mr Guinan. He said this would involved a set of protocols to lesson the impact on a community if they lose a garda station, post office or institution.

“Minister Ann Phelan is going to take a proactive role in developing a framework that sets down guidelines on how these things are handled in future. That services like this cannot just be shut,” he concluded.