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SINN Féin organised a picket of Bank of Ireland in Castle Street Tralee on Friday in protest at their decision to remove the Irish language option on new ATMs.
The party is calling on Bank of Ireland to reverse their decision and they asked people to sign a petition outside the bank during lunchtime today.
“We are calling on senior management at Bank of Ireland to reverse this decision to remove the Irish language option in its system of ATMs,” said Cllr Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Féin.
“Bank of Ireland have an obligation to service its customers, and I believe that this involves serving those who wish to do their business in Irish which is the first official language of the state.”
“The banks didn’t hesitate to accept the state’s assistance and public money when they were in trouble. They should be equally willing to meet the needs of the many Irish speakers who try to include the language in their daily lives. While it may not sound like a drastic decision by the bank, for the many Irish speakers who are keeping the language alive it is a retrograde step.”
