# 3 bank holidays in a row



## fistophobia (29 Dec 2021)

Why are the banks closed again today?
Nobody wants to work in this country.


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## Protocol (29 Dec 2021)

There have always been two extra bank holidays that are not public holidays.

Good Friday
27-Dec

Banks and PO are closed those two days.


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## Brendan Burgess (29 Dec 2021)

What would you need a bank branch for?  All the online facilities are working. 


Sunday 26th December, Monday 27th December, Tuesday 28th December & 29th December 2021 – All Branches Closed


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## Brendan Burgess (29 Dec 2021)

Protocol that is interesting. 

So the normal  25,26,27  this year becomes 

27, 28th and 29th.

Brendan


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## fistophobia (29 Dec 2021)

Online does not work, the payments in / out are still in pending status.


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## Pinoy adventure (29 Dec 2021)

Having visited BOI today there ATM was not accepting lodgements only withdrawals which makes paying a CC bill today impossible


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## Thirsty (29 Dec 2021)

I paid my CC today online; no complications.


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## Brendan Burgess (29 Dec 2021)

Pinoy adventure said:


> paying a CC bill today impossible



Set it up as a Direct Debit.  Then you don't have to worry about bank holidays.


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## Pinoy adventure (29 Dec 2021)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Set it up as a Direct Debit.  Then you don't have to worry about bank holidays.


I wouldn’t even know where too start with a DD.
I’d rather pay in cash at the bank or worse case the atm lodgement outside the bank.


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## Thirsty (29 Dec 2021)

Pinoy adventure said:


> wouldn’t even know where too start with a DD


Ah here! Time to learn so!


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## Protocol (29 Dec 2021)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Protocol that is interesting.
> 
> So the normal  25,26,27  this year becomes
> 
> ...



In terms of bank and PO closures, yes.

However, I am not saying that 27th and 28th are public holidays this year.

If 25+26 fall on Sat and Sun, are Mon 27th and Tue 28th public holidays? I don't think so.


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## mathepac (29 Dec 2021)

AIB customer who locked his VISA debit card over Christmas after forgetting PIN. Reset at AIB ATM last night, withdrew cash. All the other bill-pay functions, etc from current account continued to work online.


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## Mocame (29 Dec 2021)

I think the service from the banks is truly dreadful.  In the absence of any branch being open I had to visit three Bank of Ireland lodgment ATMs before I could find one which was working in order to lodge a cheque.


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## Brendan Burgess (29 Dec 2021)

Mocame said:


> I had to visit three Bank of Ireland lodgment ATMs before I could find one which was working in order to lodge a cheque.



They are trying to discourage payment by cheques.

So it's not surprising that it's even more difficult on a bank holiday.

Brendan


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## Thirsty (29 Dec 2021)

Mocame said:


> three Bank of Ireland lodgment ATMs before I could find one which was working in order to lodge a cheque.


Envelope & stamp?


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## mathepac (29 Dec 2021)

Extra €1.1 + transaction cost


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## Thirsty (29 Dec 2021)

mathepac said:


> Extra €1.1 + transaction cost


Cheaper & easier than traipsing round town looking for an ATM!


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## mathepac (29 Dec 2021)

Granted, but there's also a case for keeping post offices open on bank holidays, given their supposed social responsibility role, their independent ATM network, baby banking infrastructure, etc


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## Mocame (30 Dec 2021)

Brendan Burgess said:


> They are trying to discourage payment by cheques.
> 
> So it's not surprising that it's even more difficult on a bank holiday.
> 
> Brendan


I understand that the banks are trying to discourage payment by cheque Brendan but I got a cheque in the post in payment for a refund and I have a right to be able to lodge it.  I am paying for this service but not receiving a service.  At least I am living in Dublin - I just had to drive 8km from Stillorgan (ATM not working) to Merrion Road (ATM not working) to Stephen's Green (working).  If I was living in Kilkenny and the lodge ATM In Castlecomer wasn't working I would have to drive 19 km to the sole other lodge ATM in the county which is in Kilkenny city.  These ATMs also accept cash lodgements and therefore if they are not working and the bank is not open if forces individuals and businesses to keep large amounts of cash at home.


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## Thirsty (30 Dec 2021)

Mocame said:


> drive 8km from Stillorgan (ATM not working) to Merrion Road (ATM not working) to Stephen's Green (working).


Time we rediscovered the postal service. Envelope, stamp & a saunter to the post box would have taken 10 mins.


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## Deiseblue (30 Dec 2021)

Protocol said:


> There have always been two extra bank holidays that are not public holidays.
> 
> Good Friday
> 27-Dec
> ...


When Christmas Eve fell on a weekend Bank of Ireland staff and I'm sure staff in other Banks got an additional days leave in the following year .


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## Steven Barrett (30 Dec 2021)

Pinoy adventure said:


> Having visited BOI today there ATM was not accepting lodgements only withdrawals which makes paying a CC bill today impossible


You can easily do it by electronic transfer. Set up your credit card company as a payee and then transfer the payment to them every month. Bank branches will be a thing of the past. It is important you know how to pay bills online or have them all on direct debit.


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## Interest% (30 Dec 2021)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Protocol that is interesting.
> 
> So the normal  25,26,27  this year becomes
> 
> ...


Does that make the 27th, 28th, 29th eligible for double pay if you worked it like if you work a bank holiday.


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## MrEarl (31 Dec 2021)

I wouldn't work those particular days, if it was just double pay.

In fact, I don't think I'd agree to work those days, if it was 5x my standard daily rate.

I wonder if the original poster would be willing to pay a sizeable premium on the usual handling fee, to do their lodgement on one of those particular three days (in acknowledgment of the additional cost of getting staff to work on those particular days) ?

Personally, I think that the original poster needs to accept that they should have been better prepared.


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## Itchy (31 Dec 2021)

Thirsty said:


> Time we rediscovered the postal service. Envelope, stamp & a saunter to the post box would have taken 10 mins.



It is _extremely _annoying that the Irish Banks do not utilise this existing technology 



Spoiler



The Photograph


 for lodging a cheque, while used elsewhere.


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## MrEarl (31 Dec 2021)

Itchy said:


> It is _extremely _annoying that the Irish Banks do not utilise this existing technology
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We have the technology to do a lot of things better in Banking, but for various reasons, we (sadly) don't use it.

While Ulster Bank have rolled out some additional features on their app over the last few months, I'd say it's highly unlikely that we'll see them do much more, now that they are exiting the market.

In a country that's trying to reduce the use of cheques, I doubt that other banks will introduce the ability to upload a copy of a cheque, in order to lodge it,  but no harm asking the other banks, and even referring the link that you've provide, Itchy.


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## fidelcastro (31 Dec 2021)

Thirsty said:


> Time we rediscovered the postal service. Envelope, stamp & a saunter to the post box would have taken 10 mins.


No, time to mandate digital SEPA payments, and end cheques. This is 2021.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (31 Dec 2021)

On Wednesday 29 I tried to call BoI Mortgages and got a message "we are closed. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday" which was kind of confusing. 


It wasn't urgent but I thought it was a bit weird that they didn't have a specific message to explain why there was no service. I got through today no problem.


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## Gordon Gekko (31 Dec 2021)

It’s amusing to hear about people who want to focus on their own “life admin” while they’re off and who seem to feel inconvenienced by other people being off.

Who in their right mind needs to lodge a cheque between Christmas and New Year?

Either be better prepared or just wait until next week.

It’s as if people want something closer to a private banking service but don’t want to pay for it.

In branch banking and cheques should be a thing of the past.

It’s effectively the very elderly (i.e. 85+) and the black economy keeping them going.


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## Mocame (31 Dec 2021)

Gordon Gekko said:


> It’s amusing to hear about people who want to focus on their own “life admin” while they’re off and who seem to feel inconvenienced by other people being off.
> 
> Who in their right mind needs to lodge a cheque between Christmas and New Year?
> 
> ...


I have a right to lodge a cheque anytime I want - that is what the automatic cheque lodgment facility via an ATM is provided for that that is what I am paying bank charges for.  The point I was making is that banks are withdrawing services by closing branches and not bothering to replace them with alternatives - in the case of my cheque lodgments difficulties they have not bothered to maintain these ATM facilities.  

Incidentally I have been trying to lodge my cheque for the whole month of December and because I pass the Merrion Road and Stillorgan Road Bank of Ireland branches regularly I tried both of these on several occasions during the month and they were never working.  So finally I was forced to go into St Stephen's Green to lodge the cheque.  This is simply a dreadful service.


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## Cervelo (31 Dec 2021)

I fell foul of these "Bank Holidays" back in 2004, 

Flew to New York on 26th of December for a bit of shopping, ringing in the new year in Times Square and proposing to Miss C. 
That night while putting my CC into a new wallet my the card snapped in half and IIRC we didn't have debit cards then.

So a quick phone call to Mastercard and within 24 hours there was a replacement card for me at hotel reception 
But for some reason it didn't work kept been rejected by retailers, turns out it has to be switched on by the issuing bank who of course where on holidays and weren't going to be able to authorise the card for at least a couple of days
So luckily herself had a card and she got an introduction into my shopping habits as she had to follow me around paying for everything 
Anyhow card got switched on a day before we left and had a new card shortly after we returned

Happened to mention it to my business manager in my branch and she told me to write a letter of complaint to BOI Credit cards
Which I did and got a letter back apologising for any inconvenience to me and if I'd like to take my new fiancé out for a meal, I could send them the receipt and they would refund the amount to my CC by way of apology 

As it happened we were going out to dinner with a few friends to celebrate our engagement, nothing too fancy but when the bill arrived for €600, 
I put it all on the CC and sent it off to BOI not expecting them to pay the full amount but they did


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## Thirsty (1 Jan 2022)

Mocame said:


> trying to lodge my cheque for the whole month of December


That is without doubt the silliest thing I've read this year. Granted the Year is still young, so you have the opportunity to be outdone yet.

Do you have an antipathy towards the postal service, or did it simply not occur to you to find another solution?


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## MrEarl (1 Jan 2022)

Mocame said:


> I have a right to lodge a cheque anytime I want



Really?

Is that a God given right, or a right from an individual service contract that you've signed with your Bank, or something else?

Seriously, your on a website that is very much "pro consumer", and yet the large majority here are telling you that you are wrong about this one. You need to think about that...

Put a written complaint into the Bank, and include mention of "your right", see what response you get. You may well get an apology, I doubt that you'll get compensation, and I think you'll find that the Bank doesn't agree about your "rights".

If you aren't happy with the formal response to your complaint from the Bank, ask for their final response and then, take your complaint to the Ombudsman. You might win, but I seriously doubt that you will.


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## Paul O Mahoney (3 Jan 2022)

Mocame said:


> I have a right to lodge a cheque anytime I want .


That's hilarious and so arrogant it has made me chuckle.


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## Paul O Mahoney (3 Jan 2022)

Cervelo said:


> I fell foul of these "Bank Holidays" back in 2004,
> 
> Flew to New York on 26th of December for a bit of shopping, ringing in the new year in Times Square and proposing to Miss C.
> That night while putting my CC into a new wallet my the card snapped in half and IIRC we didn't have debit cards then.
> ...


I'm surprised she married you Dude


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## Jim2007 (4 Jan 2022)

Mocame said:


> I have a right to lodge a cheque anytime I want……
> 
> Incidentally I have been trying to lodge my cheque for the whole month of December…..


Clearly you are dealing with the wrong type of bank.  If you wish I can recommend a more appropriate private bank that will:
- send a courier to collect the cheque from you
- deliver cash to you directly so you can avoid those pesky ATMs
- personalized cheque book, several designs available 
- car service to visit the bank
- hotel booking services 
- Free tickets for events such as World Cup, Wimbledon, Olympics etc
- a dedicated client adviser 
- a birthday card or have the client adviser call you to deliver their best wishes [your choice]
- anything else you want so long as it does not include borrowing money from them
- family office services if desired

All for very reasonable fees and AUM requirements.


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## Cervelo (4 Jan 2022)

Paul O Mahoney said:


> I'm surprised she married you Dude


No, I'm more surprised she's still married to me but then there's a reason I say she's my best right from a million wrongs


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## Peanuts20 (4 Jan 2022)

Dec 2


Mocame said:


> I have a right to lodge a cheque anytime I want - that is what the automatic cheque lodgment facility via an ATM is provided for that that is what I am paying bank charges for.  The point I was making is that banks are withdrawing services by closing branches and not bothering to replace them with alternatives - in the case of my cheque lodgments difficulties they have not bothered to maintain these ATM facilities.
> 
> Incidentally I have been trying to lodge my cheque for the whole month of December and because I pass the Merrion Road and Stillorgan Road Bank of Ireland branches regularly I tried both of these on several occasions during the month and they were never working.  So finally I was forced to go into St Stephen's Green to lodge the cheque.  This is simply a dreadful service.


It wouldn't have made a difference when and where you lodged the cheque, it still would not have been processed by BoI cheque clearing until the 30th at the earliest and if it was drawn on another bank, BoI would not have exchanged value with that bank until the 31st. That's because the inter bank financial exchange was closed on the 27th, 28th and 29th. Possibly it might have appeared on your statement earlier but it would not be cleared funds.


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## roker (9 Jan 2022)

Mocame said:


> I think the service from the banks is truly dreadful.  In the absence of any branch being open I had to visit three Bank of Ireland lodgment ATMs before I could find one which was working in order to lodge a cheque.


It amused me, a few years ago before retirement my wages were paid in to my bank account were delayed on bank holiday, the computer system took bank Holidays. Is it the same now?


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## Peanuts20 (10 Jan 2022)

roker said:


> It amused me, a few years ago before retirement my wages were paid in to my bank account were delayed on bank holiday, the computer system took bank Holidays. Is it the same now?


it's largely driven by the TARGET  system, the financial settlement system used across the Eurozone. Bear in mind, that when your wages are credited to your bank account and your employer is debited, that money also needs to get sent (assuming you bank at different banks) from one bank to another. Target and similar exchanges are used to facilitate this. This is to maintain a banks liquidity.


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## ClubMan (10 Jan 2022)

But that doesn't really explain why the computers have to observe public/bank holidays...


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## Itchy (10 Jan 2022)

It doesn't seem to impact instant payments between my non-Irish bank accounts, Revolut etc.


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## RetirementPlan (10 Jan 2022)

Itchy said:


> It doesn't seem to impact instant payments between my non-Irish bank accounts, Revolut etc.


I got a €60 referral bonus from Revolut over the holidays within seconds of the final purchase transaction being made by the new account holder over the holidays.


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## Peanuts20 (10 Jan 2022)

ClubMan said:


> But that doesn't really explain why the computers have to observe public/bank holidays...



They don't. Banks will run payment files in the background over public/bank holidays but they won't necessarily transfer funds until they can make an interbank settlement. 

People should also be aware that just because funds appear on your statement doesn't mean they are cleared funds. IT companies like Revolut will either have accepted a financial risk if they give you cleared funds without receiving payment from another entity or will have them flagged as uncleared funds and buried deep in their T&C's will be something to allow them take the funds back if they don't get it paid over from the other entity.


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## AlbacoreA (10 Jan 2022)

Since we moved to online banking and all electronic transactions. Transfers seem to take ages. 

If feels as if there's someone who comes in two days a week, and fires up a transfer machine, then turns it off when they go home.


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## MrEarl (10 Jan 2022)

AlbacoreA said:


> Since we moved to online banking and all electronic transactions. Transfers seem to take ages.
> 
> If feels as if there's someone who comes in two days a week, and fires up a transfer machine, then turns it off when they go home.



Which Bank? 

Where are you sending the transfers to?


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## AlbacoreA (10 Jan 2022)

The main street banks.


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## Peanuts20 (11 Jan 2022)

I've not seen any delays, recently opened a BoI account as I am a UB customer and once it was set up I made a transfer from UB to BoI and it was visible the next day. The banks do have a cut off time each day to allow them run their files so if you try and make a transfer in the evening for example, it may not be the next day when it touches down. Some entities such as building societies and credit unions may have an additional day delay as they may not be full members of the relevant clearing.


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## MrEarl (11 Jan 2022)

AlbacoreA said:


> The main street banks.


Which bank are you making the payments from? 

Assuming it's one of: AIB, BoI,  UB, KBC or PTSB, it should be next working day, at the latest. If its not,  you need to go talk to your bank. 

If you bank with N26, Revolut etc. In theory, payments should be same day, but due to delays within some receiving Banks,  could run into next day. 

Is it's a Bank outside of Ireland,  it may take a couple of days, depending on their correspondent relationships, if they are members of SEPA etc.


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