West offaly residents due to protest in athlone

Organisers are expecting a large turnout in Athlone this lunchtime as people from West Offaly prepare to protest over the planned closure of Ferbane’s only bank.

The protesters plan to march to the Ulster Bank branch in Athlone where they have been told their accounts will be moved if their Ulster Bank branch closes along with 13 others nationwide this March.

They will be addressed by IFA President Eddie Downey, financial expert Eddie Hobbs and Irish Rural Link(IRL) CEO Seamus Boland are among the confirmed speakers.

Offaly TD Barry Cowen raised the issue of the proposed closure with Minister for Finance Michael Noonan in the Dail yesterday. He told Minister Noonan his constituents “simply want fair play.”

Minister Noonan said “I will respond to your request by asking my officials once more to get in contact with senior people in Ulster Bank and ask them to engage with the community.”

IFA President Eddie Downey called for a review of Ulster Bank’s decision. “The situation in Ferbane is a replica of what has happened to too many rural towns around the country. The Government cannot stand idly by and deprive rural Ireland of essential services,” he remarked.

According to IRL’s Seamus Boland, “Irish Rural Link supports the big Switch campaign, “if Ulster Bank leaves West Offaly; West Offaly will leave Ulster Bank.”

Protesters are due to meet at the Diskin Centre in Athlone between 12.30 and 12.45pm. They will then march to Ulster Bank’s branch in Irishtown where the speakers will address the crowd.