AIB overcharging scandal cost €65.8m

Allied Irish Bank has admitted the foreign exchange overcharging scandal has cost the bank €65.8 million.

Allied Irish Bank has admitted the foreign exchange overcharging scandal has cost the bank €65.8 million.

The final bill includes repayments to customers, interest and a €20.6 million donation to charity.

However, AIB management said that while they considered taking disciplinary action over the matter they decided, mainly due to the passage of time, that no member of staff could be targeted.

Mr Eugene Sheehy, AIB chief executive, apologised for the affair.

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"The bank is satisfied that the investigations have now been completed. However, the failings which they identified are deeply regrettable and I apologise for them on my own behalf and on behalf of the board," he said.

"The board and management of AIB are committed to complying with the principles and standards set down by the Financial Regulator.

"I can assure our customers that we have learned valuable lessons and have taken comprehensive action to prevent any of these issues arising again.

"We have put in place, and are continuing to put in place, new systems and procedures to ensure that our customers receive the levels of transparency and service which they are fully entitled to expect at all times."

The foreign exchange scandal was the biggest of several crises to hit the financial services sector in Ireland. Customers were charged wrongly for years for changing currency with AIB .

AIB was initially forced to pay back a total of €34.2 million to customers who were overcharged on currency transactions and other matters. The bank revealed today it had repaid customers a further €11 million.

It also said that were customers could not be identified a donation of €20.6 million would be made to charity.

The bank says the money will go to areas educational disadvantage and research into how Ireland's growing immigrant population can be integrated into society.