An action committee, Dromcollogher and District AIB Action Group was formed at a well attended meeting in the Hall, Drom-collogher last Wednesday evening, convened in the aftermath of the shock announcement that the local AIB branch in the town is earmarked for closure.
Upwards of 170 people were there, representing all strands of the local com-munities, and it was also attended by Oireachtas and local public representatives from Limerick and North Cork. “The general feeling was that the decision to close AIB bank in Dromcol-logher after 100 years was met with a mixture of sadness and anger as it is a very busy office,” explained local community activist and Chairperson of the newly formed Action Committee Seamus Stack. “It will cause untold hardship, inconvenience, expense, huge risk and danger to all especially those in the older age bracket, taking into account the difficult times we live in,” he told the Weekly Observer.
According to Mr. Stack, Dromcollogher is a well-populated, thriving comm-unity made up of business, farming, industry, schools of which there are national, secondary and a third level college, caring facilities including Respite Centres, Day Care Centres, Medical Centres, Hazelville and community houses in the many surrounding communities.
“The Action Committee’s first task is to get a petition signed by the locals and the communities affected which will be handed to AIB management at a meeting the Group is currently requesting. It has also been decided to approach the Minster for Finance, Michael Noonan on the matter,” Mr. Stack confirmed.