Moate's Credit Union says it won't install an ATM in the town

Local councillors believe there's a "dire need" for an on-street ATM in Moate, but the credit union in the town confirmed recently that it does not intend to install one.

A letter calling for the installation of an ATM at St Brigid's Credit Union was sent to the institution by the Athlone Moate Municipal District in April, following a motion on the topic by Cllr Vinny McCormack.

At the district's June monthly meeting, a letter of reply from the credit union was read out.

It stated that the board of St Brigid's Credit Union "do not intend on installing an ATM machine in our Moate branch," and that it had "explored" but rejected the idea previously.

Outlining the reasons why it didn't want to install the machine, it cited "increased security and health and safety risk to staff," the costs associated with introducing and maintaining an ATM, and the "reduction in the usage of cash and increase in the usage of debit cards, especially since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic."

The credit union went on to say it had been providing "a full-service current account" to its members since last October.

It said this has proven "particularly successful as it coincides with the closure of the Bank of Ireland branches in Clara, Moate and Banagher, and the announcement of Ulster Bank and KBC that they are leaving the Irish market."

The response, which was sent by the credit union branch at the end of May, was "very disapponting," Cllr McCormack remarked.

"It's very unequivocal and leaves no wiggle room to suggest that they might revisit that decision in future," he said.

He added that he had been in Ballymahon earlier last week and ended up having to queue behind four other people to use an ATM there.

"That's in a similar-sized town to Moate. We can talk all we like about a cashless society, but there's still a demand (for ATMs) particularly with the night-time economy."

Cllr Tom Farrell also expressed disappointment with the credit union's position but said "we have to keep trying" to get an ATM installed in Moate.