Donegal TD Pearse Doherty has slammed AIB for charging fees on the accounts of people who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus crisis.
Deputy Doherty called for the majority State-owned bank to cancel fees charged and refund the customers who have been laid off.
Today, tens of thousands of workers received their first Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350.
However, the Sinn Féin finance spokesman said that many saw fees of up to €100 charged from their account.
Mr Doherty described it as a “disgrace” and has written to Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe and the Central Bank.
The Gaoth Dobhair-based politician fumed: “This payment will be needed for workers to pay their bills and feed their families.
“It is disgraceful to learn that AIB, instead of providing relief to these customers, have on the same day decided to charge quarterly fees to many of these customers who have just lost their jobs.
These fees do not apply to customers with more than €2,500 in their accounts, but if you have just lost your job as a result of this outbreak they do.
“That AIB are charging workers and families who have lost their jobs and have little in their accounts these fees is a disgrace.
“The Covid-19 Unemployment Payment was not intended for the banks, and this pandemic should not be an opportunity for banks to squeeze more out of their customers.
In a statement, a spokesman for AIB said: “Due to the normal costs associated with administering customers’ bank accounts, the bank charges standard transaction and account maintenance fees.
“These are applied on a quarterly basis, with the most recent fees debited from customer accounts in March for the period November – February.
“AIB offers our current account customers safe and secure online payments with a mobile app and a range of ‘tap’ payment solutions to use debit cards, phone or watch for daily transactions, both in Ireland and worldwide.”
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