MORE THAN ONE third of Bank of Ireland branches around the country will be closed down today.

Customers at 88 branches across Ireland will be able to use their local service for the final time today due to a downsizing of Bank of Ireland’s network announced in March.

The move will see banking services move to hundreds of Post Offices around the country. 

The bank has agreed a partnership with An Post which will offer customers a range of banking services at 923 locations. These services will include the withdrawal of cash and lodgement of both cash and cheques.

Bank of Ireland customers do not have to make any changes in order to be able to avail of services at Post Offices.

An Post and AIB have operated a similar partnership for several years.

Customers affected by the branch closures have been contacted recent months, informing them of the changes and outlining where their accounts will be transferred to.

The change means some Bank of Ireland customers will have to travel significant distances to reach their closest branch.

However, Bank of Ireland says that the closed branches have a Post Office, on average, 500 metres away. 

A total of 169 local Bank of Ireland branches will remain open around Ireland and the company says customers will now be able to bank at 1,100 locations nationwide. 

Gavin Kelly, CEO of Bank of Ireland Retail, said the firm is delighted that the partnership with An Post was operational ahead of the closure of the branches.

“Our customers do not have to make any changes in order to be able to avail of services at An Post locations and they will now be able to bank at about 1,100 locations nationwide,” Kelly said.

Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post Retail, said Bank of Ireland customers will have to access their account, be able to pay in cash and cheques, and withdraw money six days a week.