Madam, - Last Tuesday, I wanted to make a sterling payment from my AIB current account to a recipient in the UK. Unfortunately, even though AIB offers a form of internet banking it does not allow the transfer of funds between accounts over the internet.
I then rang the banks 24-hour "hotline" and explained to an individual what I intended doing. She informed me it would cost me €32 to process the transfer. If I had walked into a bank and purchased a sterling draft over the counter it would have cost only €1.90, even though it would have required a lot more effort from both the bank's staff and myself.
Excuses by the bank that procedures and technology are the cause of such a charge are not acceptable. We were all encouraged to use the internet technology because it would be both user-friendly and cheaper - clearly is not the case. I believe this is just another example of the blatant rip-off mentality that continues to exist at AIB.
I have never written a letter to a newspaper before, but I believe what little voice we have must surely be heard. - Yours, etc.,
MARTIN WHITE, Garrybawn, Co Louth.