Staff evacuated from AIB bank in Cork as emergency…

Staff evacuated from AIB bank in Cork as emergency services rush to scene

Staff have been evacuated from AIB bank in Cork city after an alarm went off.

Workers from South Mall AIB were sent outside after the alarm sounded shortly after 11am on Wednesday.

A number of Cork City Fire Trucks and gardai attended the scene and a hydraulic lift was used to assess the building.

The roof was investigated for signs of smoke and firefighters remain on scene.

A Garda spokesperson told Cork Beo that no problems were found.

As of 12.25pm workers were still outside the bank while no sign of any blaze has been located.

The South Mall was cut down to one lane as they attended. The building is the former head office of the Munster and Leinster bank built in 1912.

The evacuation comes just a day after the company controversially announced that 70 of their 170 nationwide branches are to be 'cashless' by the end of 2022.

The move will mean that the affected branches will not have notes, coins, cheques, foreign exchange, bank drafts; and will remove any drop safes, night safes and ATMs outside.

The bank have said that the decision has been made as part of an overall programme to increase their relationship with An Post - with customers able to access their cash at their nearest Post Office instead of the branch.

"With digital usage soaring, the cost of providing cash services has become increasingly unsustainable.

"As a result, cash, ATM and cheque services will be removed from these branches but customers will continue to have efficient access to cash in their communities."

"This will enable the bank to provide additional account-opening facilities as Ulster Bank and KBC leave the market, while also ensuring that its branch network has a sustainable future in the community," the bank said in a statement.

On top of the 22 cashless branches already in place, the following branches will be part of the programme and move to cashless.

By September 30