Sir, – Having held a coffee morning in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation last week, I proceeded to the Bank of Ireland named on the enclosed Giro slip to lodge the proceeds of the event. Having filled in the slip as requested, “notes, coins and cheques”, I was informed by the cashier she was unable to take coins, which totalled €17. These coins were mainly €2 pieces and would have taken her less time to count than to explain to me that she was unable to do so.
I was flabbergasted by this development. Having worked in the bank myself, I couldn’t believe my ears. I then went to my own bank, AIB, and while it would accept coins, it wouldn’t accept two of the cheques as they were payable to the Irish Hospice Foundation and not Our Lady’s Hospice as stated on the Giro, another blank.
I then had to drive to the fundraising office of Our Lady’s Hospice to give it the lodgment directly, as the banks wouldn’t or couldn’t complete the transaction.
Thousands of people in homes and offices held coffee mornings last week for this most worthy cause, but I should like to warn them not to include coin in their lodgments and to ensure the cheques are payable to the correct payee or they will go on a wild goose chase, like I did. The banks are treating the public who bailed them out like scum, and I for one am sick of their attitude. – Yours, etc,
LYNN CRONIN,
Rathdown Park,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.