AIB is to close 15 branches before the end of the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the “unrelenting” shift towards online banking.
The bank said on Tuesday it had completed a “detailed strategic review” due to changes in how customers interact with banks, a trend that “has been accelerated” by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Following the unrelenting shift in customer preference for digital banking over the last number of years, AIB is announcing the amalgamation of 15 branches in locations across the country by December this year,” it said.
The vast majority of the closures are in urban and suburban locations, mostly in Dublin and Cork. AIB said the average distance to a receiving branch would be 2.2km.
AIB will have 170 remaining branches following the closures.
The closing branches are:
| Branch | Closing date | Accounts moving to |
| College Road, Cork | Sep 24th | Western Road |
| Donnybrook, Dublin | Sep 24th | Ranelagh |
| Blackrock Road, Cork | Sep 24th | 66 South Mall |
| Sutton, Dublin | Oct 1st | Raheny |
| Little Island, Cork | Oct 8th | Midleton |
| Sandyford, Dublin | Oct 15th | Stillorgan |
| North Main Street, Cork | Oct 22nd | 66 South Mall |
| Skerries, Dublin | Oct 29th | Balbriggan |
| Ennis Road, Limerick | Nov 5th | 106 O’Connell Street |
| Douglas Court, Cork | Nov 12th | Douglas Road |
| Golden Island | Nov 19th | Athlone |
| Ballyphehane, Cork | Nov 26th | 66 South Mall |
| Dalkey, Dublin | Dec 3rd | Dún Laoghaire |
| 37/38 O’Connell Street, Dublin | Dec 3rd | Capel Street |
| Newcastle Road, Galway | Dec 10th | Lynch’s Castle |
The move has been heavily criticised by the Financial Services Union (FSU). The group’s general secretary John O’Connell said the branch network was “being destroyed”.
“We will exit the pandemic without a functioning bank branch network and with local communities and small businesses bereft of vital banking facilities,” he said.
“AIB has announced today that they will be closing 15 branches across the country including six in Cork. They have also announced the closure of AIB branch on O’Connell Street in Dublin.
“The branch network is being destroyed without a word of concern expressed by the governor of the Central Bank who has responsibility for consumer protection.
“We know when Bank of Ireland made their announcement to close 88 branches that the Central Bank governor had not even met the bank to discuss the issue.
“We would call on the governor to immediately meet with both BOI and AIB and ask them to pause any branch closures until society and the economy reopens and a full debate occurs on the future of banking in Ireland.”
AIB said the closures would happen on a phased basis, beginning in September, and that there will be no compulsory redundancies. The bank will communicate details to customers, who “do not need to take any action”.
