Burton criticises Ulster Bank for tech glitch
Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has hit out angrily at Ulster Bank for a technical glitch that has left around 100,000 people unable to access their money, saying banks have "caused Irish people enough grief".
Minister Burton said up to 30,000 social welfare recipients, many of them pensioners, will be unable to buy their groceries this weekend because of the bank's problem.
Ulster Bank says there is now a two-day delay to some wage cheques and welfare payments and the Central Bank says it is monitoring the situation closely.
Minister Burton said she expects the bank to update her this afternoon and she is calling on them to open over the weekend if it is not fixed before then.
“Given all of the grief that banks have caused to people in Ireland, I really think that the bank needs to address this particular situation with absolute urgency," she said.
“They have to look at the situation of people over the weekend, particularly older people, who spend all their social welfare income.
“For some of the people at the top of the banks, €100 might not seem a lot but it is to a pensioner.”
