Sinn Féin MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Colm Gildernew has expressed disappointment in Dankse Banks decision to close branches in Fivemiletown, Lurgan, Cookstown and Kilkeel.

The Sinn Féin MLA said:

“These latest closures are a hammer blow to rural communities which will be deprived of banking services and I would urge Dankse Bank to listen to customers and maintain services.

“It is Sinn Féin’s view that there should be no bank branch closures and planned closures should be paused to evaluate customer behaviour post-pandemic. 

“While the trend is towards increasing digital banking, for some customers this is not convenient or possible and for rural communities, important services are disappearing.

“Sinn Féin would like to see a future banking forum so that policy makers, banks and other stakeholders can discuss issues including banking in a digital age and how banks and other service providers can best respond to serve customers and communities that rely on their services.”