Motion: AIB Closure

That Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) expresses our strong opposition to the planned, imminent closure of the Allied Irish Banks (AIB) branch at High Street in Omagh and our serious concern at the impact that this latest closure will have on staff, customers, businesses and the economic vitality of Omagh Town centre.

We call on the Council to meet and engage both determinedly and meaningfully with senior AIB management and other relevant stakeholders, including Financial Services Union, The Consumer Council and the Omagh Chamber of Commerce and Industry to communicate our objections.

Additionally, this Council notes that this announcement, similar to the recent announced closure of the Bank of Ireland branch in Lisnaskea, also within our District, was made without warning, without any attempt to explore new and innovative ways to retain this branch and without the carrying out of a comprehensive impact assessment on older people, vulnerable people and other sections within our community.

We also call on the Minister of Finance, Conor Murphy (DFP), Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey (DfC) and the Minister for the Economy (DfE), Gordon Lyons to lobby the banking sector to make a long term commitment to maintain and develop accessible banking and a strong network of branches in our District towns and villages.