Ulster Bank is to create around 24 jobs when it opens three new branches, it said today.
The financial giant is pressing ahead with its expansion plans despite jitters throughout the banking world, caught in the grip of a credit crunch.
The new outlets will open this month in Sandyford, south Co Dublin, Loughrea, Co Galway and Wicklow Town.
Richard Donnan, managing director of Ulster Bank Personal Banking, said it would continue to buck the trend of branch closures because it was confident about the future.
“We are continuing to invest heavily in our branch and business centre network throughout Ireland,” he said.
“Notwithstanding the current challenging market conditions, Ulster Bank is very much open for business and these latest openings demonstrate our growth ambition and confidence in the future.”
Mr Donnan said the roll-out of a €73 million expansion drive over the past year-and-a-half was part of its plan to become the country’s biggest bank.
It is part of the so-called Big Four commercial banks in Ireland, along with AIB, Bank of Ireland and National Irish Bank.
Ulster Bank has opened 12 new branches and business centres in the past 18 months, including new premises in Inchicore and George’s Quay in Dublin.
The new openings will bring the number of its branches on the island of Ireland to 227.
Bank of Ireland last week announced it was shutting down eight branches of its mortgage shop chain, The Mortgage Store.