The Ulster Bank is to close up to 40 branches in its latest round of cuts. However in a statement to the Mayo Advertiser a spokesperson for the bank has confirmed there are “no new job losses” as part of this announcement. Ulster Bank is implementing a programme, announced in 2012, to reduce staff numbers by 950 across the business. In a statement the bank said: “The remaining decrease in headcount should be met through natural attrition over the remaining course of the strategic plan. We continue to keep our costs under review.”
The bank will not confirm whether the seven Mayo branches are under threat as part of this week’s announcement.
The bank has said that it has seen a lot of evidence of “strategic defaulting”, where people who can meet mortgage repayments are choosing not to do so.
It is business as usual at the Mayo branches in Ballina, Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis, Belmullet, Castlebar, Claremorris, and Westport.
While the bank has not yet made public its plans for branch closures it has said that much of the job losses would come from retirements and people taking up other jobs.
The statement from the bank continued: “We keep our branch footprint under constant review to ensure we are operating in the correct locations for our customers. We have already announced and implemented a number of branch closures earlier this year including 22 branches and sub-offices across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is our intention to further streamline the traditional branch network whilst increasing the overall physical points of presence across the island of Ireland, however the detail of this is yet to be worked through. As we progress this, we will communicate directly with our staff, customers and industry stakeholders.”
