13 December 2001 Edition

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MacManus calls on banks to end rural discrimination

Sinn Féin Alderman Seán MacManus this week welcomed the commitment from Ulster Bank to Irish Rural Link that they are to maintain their existing branch network. MacManus called on the other major banks to follow suit and to bring an end to their policy of closing branches in rural Ireland.

"Banks have a wider financial role to play in terms of investing in communities and by closing branches they are ignoring this responsibility. Bank closures in rural Ireland have a detrimental impact on the very survival of small communities. Access to financial services is essential if we are to re-build communities devastated by years of government neglect," he said.

McManus said that over the last number of years all of the major banks have closed branches throughout the country, "without any thought to the communities from which they make their profits".




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