Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File photo of customers queuing for an Ulster Bank ATM. Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Ulster Bank says 'normal service resumed' for most customers

Banking group Royal Bank of Scotland said the cost of cleaning up the Ulster Bank technical ‘glitch’ – including redress to customers – would cost stg£28m (€35.5m).

ULSTER BANK HAS said that there are outstanding issues with only a “minimal” number of customers’ accounts following the summer’s massive systems failure.

TheJournal.ie was told by a spokesperson that “any outstanding reconciliation to customer accounts are minimal”. Ulster Bank says that “normal service has now been restored for the majority of our customers”.

When asked when all issues would be totally resolved for customers, Ulster Bank could not put a definite timeframe on it but pointed TheJournal.ie to a previous statement which they say still applies. That statement said:

Given the scale of the incident, the clean up continues and a small percentage of outstanding transactions are being processed over the next couple of days. There is no doubt that there will be reconciliations to some customer accounts that also need to take place over the coming days and weeks. However, for the majority of customers it is now business as usual.

An interim report from RBS yesterday said that the overall “systems failure” in parent company RBS which saw Ulster Bank customers left without access to their accounts for weeks was a “significant blot” on the company’s reputation. It said that stg£125m had been set aside to deal with all costs associated with that failure. Some stg£28m (€35.5m) of that will be directed towards the “clean-up” of the Ulster Bank issues.

In its report, RBS admitted that while its customers in the Royal Bank of Scotland had their issues dealt with in a speedy manner, Ulster Bank customers “experienced extended problems with their accounts”.

Some Ulster Bank customers left comments on yesterday’s report, indicating that they are among those still suffering the impact of the “systems failure”. One commenter, “fotocrat”, wrote:

My account is actually overdrawn due to Inaccuracies and inadvertent withdrawal of money. There was so much confusion. Now am owing the bank. Won’t get my account up to date with a positive balance until I hear from the ombudsman’s office or the bank.
Already sent in my complaint form to both, Ulster Bank and the Financial Ombudsman. I am seeking redress and hopefully I’ll be sorted soon.

Another, “reds”, wrote:

Me too, my wages have been changed to a different account but direct debits are still coming out of my old one, so a negative balance with me owing them money now. Very stressful not knowing where you stand.

Read: RBS sets aside stg£28m (€35.5m) to deal with Ulster Bank tech ‘glitch’>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 10 comments
Close
10 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tommie 2cans
    Favourite Tommie 2cans
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 9:35 AM

    Forrest Gump must be closing in on Bill Gates at this rate

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Bourne
    Favourite Jason Bourne
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 9:46 AM

    Not bad for Forest as his Apple letter was dated before Apple actually began selling any shares. Forest truely is special.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter King
    Favourite Peter King
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 10:39 AM

    He could have been a venture capitalist who invested in the company before it went public. Would have made even more money that way.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Bourne
    Favourite Jason Bourne
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 9:48 AM

    My income tax would be lower if Apple actually paid their full 12 1/2℅ tax. Well, unless our gangsters in the Dail give it to our Rothschild/private bond holders.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute OU812
    Favourite OU812
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 10:33 AM

    The best thing about the new iphone coming up is it’ll kill off the Garth Brooks stories

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute onlybuzzinwitcha
    Favourite onlybuzzinwitcha
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 10:59 AM

    What’s this about Garth Brooks?

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cpm
    Favourite Cpm
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:56 AM

    Unless he gets one, then there could be the perfect storm. The Journal ‘towers’ would explode in orgy of ctrl-c ctrl-v, it would be like something from an Hieronymus Bosch painting

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carlin Ite
    Favourite Carlin Ite
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 9:58 AM

    My revenue would not be near as good as Apples but it would be liveable if I didn’t pay taxes

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Clarke
    Favourite John Clarke
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 9:42 AM

    Silly story! If you compared the profits of most successful companies towards their total staff and apply the figures through a per capita rating, you’d get similar results. All the same, maybe the might loan us a few bob…

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cpm
    Favourite Cpm
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 10:23 AM

    Hush, John. It’s the start of Apple season on the Journal, expect blanket coverage, and incendiary articles, until the launch of the iPhone 6 in September.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute onlybuzzinwitcha
    Favourite onlybuzzinwitcha
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 10:58 AM

    Quarterly profit of 7.7 billion but it’s 600 million less than expected. Wouldn’t you just hate to be Apple right now.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jim Flavin
    Favourite Jim Flavin
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:35 AM

    Apples profits are based on semi slave labour – and not something to boast about .
    Many are made in Chian at Foxconn factories

    ”On June 14th, a Foxconn worker jumped to his death from his apartment building in Chengdu, marking the 18th reported worker suicide at Foxconn factories in China in just over two years[1]. Many additional suicides may have gone unreported[2][3]. But these deaths and the focus on conditions at Foxconn reflect only a portion of the troubling conditions at Apple suppliers.

    This investigation of other Apple suppliers in China reveals that serious work-related injuries and worker suicides are by no means isolated to just Foxconn but exist throughout Apple’s supply chain. For example, we found that at least two workers committed suicide at Flextronics[4]’ factories last year[5][6] (Ganzhou and Zhuhai) and that upwards of 59 workers were injured in explosions at Riteng’s Shanghai factory last December[7] (both are Apple’s suppliers). More broadly, this investigation of ten different Apple factories in China finds that harmful, damaging work environments characterized by illegally long hours for low levels of pay are widespread in Apple’s supply, with working conditions frequently worse at suppliers other than Foxconn. We also document for the first time the tremendous problems caused by the use of ‘labour dispatching’ by Apple suppliers in China…

    This is Bangladesh all over again – low wages – long hours – and the author of this report has nerve to compare the profits with Bangladesh where their have been tragedies and many deaths as well – and again western suppliers take no responsibility – despite their claims – for the hours and wages that workers have to put up with
    - Oh and this is the direction in which we are headed – the race to the bottom – Yes – great news .
    We should be boycotting these products .
    Lot of talk about boycotting Israeli products – seems an easy target – but the things we use ourselves ??

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry in Laois
    Favourite Gerry in Laois
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 2:46 PM

    Number of suicides in Foxconn factories (according to your story above, not attributed anywhere): 18 in two years out of a total workforce of over 1 million. That gives a rate of 0.9 suicides per 100,000 per year.

    Current suicide rate in China: 9.8 per 100,000
    (Figures from 2009-2011. Source: http://www.economist.com/news/china/21605942-first-two-articles-chinas-suicide-rate-looks-effect-urbanisation-back)

    This is old news and has been discussed in great depth many times over. Apple has been the focus of such stories, as its iPhone is the top selling smartphone brand. As a result, it has been at the forefront in trying to improve conditions for workers. It has been working with the Fair Labor Association (www.fairlabor.org) to audit its facilities in the China supply chain. There are still challenges to be met, and it isn’t just Apple who can solve them. It’s a problem that affects the entire consumer electronics industry. So if you buy an iPhone or a Samsung phone or whatever brand of smartphone, chances are it will have come through the Chinese supply chain.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seamus McKenzie
    Favourite Seamus McKenzie
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 3:04 PM

    @jim, spot on.

    1
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Earle
    Favourite Stephen Earle
    Report
    Jul 25th 2014, 9:52 AM

    Statistics, statistics – not a very honest story, sorru

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fifty Shades of Sé
    Favourite Fifty Shades of Sé
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:17 AM

    Tim Cook says he “can’t wait” to show Apple fanboys their new products in September.

    If you believe that, I have a really cool limited edition invisible, non-tactile iPad for sale…

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seamus McKenzie
    Favourite Seamus McKenzie
    Report
    Jul 23rd 2014, 3:02 PM

    Does that figure include the amount they are tax dodging as well. Parasites.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Earle
    Favourite Stephen Earle
    Report
    Jul 25th 2014, 9:57 AM

    apple, like many large american corporations, would, under American tax laws, be liable to taxation when they repatriate profits back into the USA. This is unfair as thru have already paid tax at source in the country where the profit was made. Why should they pay tax twice. They have a duty to their shareholders to maximise profit legitimately.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.