Anger and dissatisfaction grows as
Ulster Bank stalls over compensation scheme on payouts
The Ulster Bank is coming under severe pressure from customers who want to know details of its compensation scheme after the computer glitch that caused chaos in Ireland.
Stormont finance committee chairman Daithi McKay accused the bank of mishandling its recent banking crisis to “an incredible degree”.
And he slammed its communication skills as “absolutely appalling” as questions over how customers will be compensated enter a sixth week.
The Sinn Fein MLA Mr. McKay was responding to a statement from Ulster Bank which will have inspired little confidence in those expecting a quick end to financial woes.
Millions of customers are still waiting to hear how and when they will be compensated for loss of earnings after thousands of accounts were frozen for a month.
The Belfast Telegraph understands that there are still no details available with regard to compensation package — which head of retail banking Stephen Cruise said would be made public last week.
Some 600,000 people in Northern Ireland and the Republic suffered from the technical glitch.
“The Ulster Bank have had more than enough time,” said Mr McKay. “People are in need of some direction as to what is happening. This is affecting other banks and businesses.
“There has been no leadership with providing clarification and they need to be coming out and getting the work done.”
Mr McKay questioned the reliability of information coming from Ulster Bank, and said that customers had been misinformed as to when details would be made available.
Former Finance Minister Nigel Dodds has also branded the crisis “totally and utterly unacceptable”.
The statement published by the Ulster Bank said it would “provide details to our customers as soon as we can”.
That will not be long enough for those who have been paying for the bank’s mistakes ever since the computer meltdown on June 19, said Mr Dodds.
He said the bank needs to get a grip if it is serious about maintaining its reputation. He led a delegation on July 4 to meet with the chairman of Ulster Bank’s parent company Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
“One issue I raised specifically was the need to put resources into compensation for everyone affected, and not just Ulster Bank customers,” Mr Dodds said.
More than three weeks on, this is yet to happen.
From companies unable to process orders to the individuals facing charges on an overdraft they hadn’t planned for, the list of casualties is long, and with people having to borrow money and incur interest elsewhere, uncertainty is rife.
Martin Bartolo (21), a Pizza Hut worker from Lisburn, had been told that his account would be back to normal by July 16.
He did not receive his full pay packet until July 20.
“I’m really unhappy about how I have been treated,” he said.
“This is outrageous.”
Mr Dodds described circumstances such as these as “appalling” and “scandalous”.
“This has left people seriously out of pocket and they must be paid back with interest”, the North Belfast MP said.
“There must be no quibbles with paying back any of the money owed. People should not be put through anxiety fighting for what is rightfully theirs.”
With the bank unable to disclose details of how this will happen, customers will continue to leave in their droves, he said.
An Ulster Bank spokesman said last night: “We have already started to correct and reverse fees and charges to Ulster Bank customers impacted by this issue. We continue to work through the details on how we will address out-of-pocket expenses and recognition of inconvenience caused and will provide details to our customers as soon as we can.”
Nationwide have also had some problems this week.
Customers had debit card payments taken twice from their accounts after an IT hitch caused by “human error”.
Dissident ‘IRA’ Three groups has several hundred members
Three dissent republican groups which this week announced that they were coming together under the title of the “Irish Republican Army” are believed to have several hundred members.
This has led to speculation that the new grouping might be capable of launching a campaign of attacks against members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the British army.
The bodies in question are the Real IRA, the Derry-based Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) and a third, loosely organised group blamed for the booby-trap car-bomb which killed Constable Ronan Kerr (25) outside his home near Omagh, Co Tyrone, in April 2011.
The merger of the groups is understood to have taken place last month and followed a period of speculation that such a move was in train. It is understood the Real IRA and RAAD will now cease to exist as the new grouping claims the mantle of traditional militant republicanism.
The Continuity IRA is not part of the new grouping. The oldest of the factions opposed to the peace process, its political counterpart is Republican Sinn Féin.
The Real IRA was formed after a split from the mainstream Provisionals in 1997, but suffered a major setback in August 1998 when a car bomb it had placed in Omagh, Co Tyrone, killed 29 civilians, including a woman pregnant with twins.
Coming under intense pressure, the group quickly declared a ceasefire, but later announced a renewal of activities in January 2000. The group claimed responsibility for the 2009 attack on Massereene barracks in Co Antrim which resulted in the deaths of two British soldiers.
RAAD consisted of ex-Provisionals who have been running a vigilante campaign in Derry city involving the shooting and forcible exile of men they accused of drug dealing and other anti-social activity. It claimed responsibility for killing father-of-two Andrew Allen (24), who was shot dead at his home in Buncrana, Co Donegal, on February 9th last. They claimed he was a drug dealer, which his family denied. Recently, the group said it would also be launching attacks on the PSNI.
The new self-styled “IRA” has established an “army council” which said in a statement this week: “Following extensive consultations, Irish republicans and a number of organisations involved in armed actions against the armed forces of the British crown have come together within a unified structure, under a single leadership, subservient to the constitution of the Irish Republican Army.
“The leadership of the Irish Republican Army remains committed to the full realisation of the ideals and principles enshrined in the Proclamation of 1916.”
In a sideswipe at Sinn Féin, the statement claims “the Irish people have been sold a phoney peace, rubber-stamped by a token legislature in Stormont”.
Complaining that “non-conformist republicans are being subjected to harassment, arrest and violence by the forces of the British crown”, the statement calls for “an internationally observed timescale that details the dismantling of British political interference in our country”.
Ireland needs less words & less posturing ‘more need for genuine action’ from Minister Reilly & Co
Sixteen months after he first took office in March 2011, Health Minister James Reilly has been long on words but lamentably short of genuine action.
Even at a time when the health budget is spiralling out of control, with a €281m overspend being recorded in the first five months of the year, Dr Reilly still seems to be devoting most of his attention to optics rather than the substantial issues.
Yesterday, it was announced that Tony O’Brien was to be the new director general of the health service, a move that marks the effective abolition of the HSE and its re-absorption back into the Department of Health. This move has led to the departure of HSE chief executive Cathal Magee. Last year, Dr Reilly effectively forced the resignations of the then-HSE board and of the then-chief executive of the VHI.
Given the continuing overspending on health, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that these personnel changes amount to little more than re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic; empty gestures that serve to disguise the lack of progress being achieved on the substantive issues.
Now that he has remodelled the health service to his satisfaction, Dr Reilly must demonstrate that the new arrangements can save money and deliver a better quality of service to patients.
Two PSNI Officers held for alleged misconduct in Cookstown Co Tyrone
An investigation was launched by the PSNI into claims surrounding a small team of officers based at Cookstown, Co Tyrone.
Two police officers have been arrested and suspended from duty and five others reprimanded over alleged serious misconduct.
An investigation was launched by the PSNI into claims surrounding a small team of officers based at Cookstown, Co Tyrone.
Assistant chief constable George Hamilton confirmed two officers were arrested and released on bail.
They were also suspended from duty following an investigation by the PSNI’s service improvement department.
Another five officers have been repositioned within the service as part of the investigation, which is ongoing.
“Our priority will remain the delivery of a high quality personal, professional and protective police service for the community of Cookstown and the wider community of Northern Ireland,” said Mr Hamilton.
“The police service expects its staff to behave professionally, ethically and with the utmost integrity at all times.
“Any conduct, whether on or off duty, which brings or is likely to bring discredit on the police service will be investigated in order to establish whether or not a breach of the code of ethics has occurred.
Judges dismisses appeal over sexual abuse conviction
The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed a Co Donegal man’s appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing three 13-year-old girls in his daughter’s bed while they were on sleepovers at his house.
Martin McCurdy (45) was jailed for 7½ years.
McCurdy, Emmet Park, Castlefinn, Co Donegal, had pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting the then 13-year-old girls between February 2006 and January 2007 in his home.
Yesterday, the three-judge appeal court, with Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman presiding, said it was satisfied the trial judge had not erred in his charge to the jury concerning corroboration. McCurdy’s appeal against the length of sentence will be heard later.
No comments:
Post a Comment