Donegal Sinn Féin has scheduled a series of online public meetings calling for Donegal Bank of Ireland branches to stay open.
Local communities are being invited to join a campaign to prevent the closure of five branches in Donegal, which was announced yesterday.
Bank of Ireland branches in Bunbeg, Glenties, Bundoran, Moville and Dungloe will close from September 2021, with all services moving to local post offices.
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty will join local Donegal Sinn Féin councillors and area representatives for a number of online public meetings across Donegal next week calling on Bank of Ireland to reverse their decision.
“Keeping our local branches in Donegal open is crucial for our community,” Deputy Doherty said.
“For our towns and communities to thrive, we need our local bank branches to stay open.
“In the middle of a pandemic, when customers and businesses are under severe pressure, Bank of Ireland – which was bailed out to the tune of €4.7 billion by the Irish people – should not be closing local bank branches.”
Meetings will take place from Monday 8th March – Wednesday 10th March.
Deputy Doherty added: “For those wishing to join, please use the above links or log in details, or alternatively, send an email to constituency.manager1@gmail.com and a Zoom link for the meeting you wish to attend will be sent to you.
“This is a public meeting and we are inviting all members of the local communities to attend, including customers, staff, public representatives, local businesses and business groups, trade union representatives and local voluntary organisations.
“There is an important role for the government here as well. As a key shareholder in Bank of Ireland, the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe needs to stand up for local communities facing the closure of their bank branches.”