Rural areas will be hit by the temporary closure of 101 Bank of Ireland (BOI) branches during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mart towns, particularly in the southwest of Ireland, will be affected, including Castleisland, Kilmallock and Kanturk. Other well-known mart towns such as Carnew and Granard will be affected also. BOI cited a significant reduction in footfall since the start of the outbreak for temporarily closing branches, but said external ATM services would still be available. In contrast, AIB has stated all its branches will remain open (except those on affected academic campuses) while maintaining social distancing measures.

Last Thursday, banks collectively announced the option of a mortgage payment break for citizens affected by the pandemic. Since then, the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland has reported that banks are receiving up to 7,000 calls day from people seeking mortgage breaks.

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