Struggling Ulster Bank, propped up by billions of euro by British taxpayers, is being forced to open branches this weekend after a computer glitch left millions of customers without money.
It might be Monday before all the problems are resolved.
Of course the fault for the fiasco lies with those at the top who run the bank – staff are being forced to cope.
So the bank’s thousands of customers in Donegal can avail of Saturday AND Sunday opening at its Letterkenny branch.
Many customers in the county have missed payments or missed out on income as a result of the biggest fiasco in customer banking in the history of the business.
The bank has been hit by serious technical problems resulting in a two-day delay in processing some payments to individual bank accounts.
Donegal pensioners whose payments have been delayed by the computer problems will be able to withdraw funds by calling to the Letterkenny branch, Age Action says.
But that’s no good to pensioners who live miles from the town.
The bank claims the glitch has now been fixed but it will take the weekend to clear the backlog, which amounts to millions of euro in transactions.
Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton called on Ulster Bank management to “get on top of their game”.
HSE employees who are due wages will be able to take out up to €500 on production of a payslip and an ID card.
One HSE employee in Ballybofey told us: “It’s a joke. The bank has let me down and I have to go to Letterkenny on Sunday to get money out.
“I bet you they won’t pay for my diesel to get there.”
The Letterkenny branch will open today – and from 10am to 1pm on Sunday.
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