Delvin set to lose its credit union

The village of Delvin is set to lose its credit union at the end of this month.

The Credit Union Plus sub-branch is scheduled to close on September 28. Credit Union Plus says that it has decided to close the cashless service, which operates out of a council owned building on the main street and opens for ... hours on a Saturday afternoon, due to a drop in footfall.

Cllr David Jones says that he has “ formally reached out to the board of directors of the credit union following numerous concerns raised by constituents”.

He told the Westmeath Examine that he believes that drop in footfall is “largely because the branch does not accept cash, a limitation stemming from the lack of a suitable premises”.

He says that if the closure goes ahead it will be a big blow to the village and its inhabitants.

“While the Clonmellon branch will remain unaffected, the travel required will deter many elderly residents who rely on the Delvin branch. We see services declining in rural Ireland all the time, and I strongly believe they should be protected.

“I urge the Credit Union Plus board to explore all avenues to find a suitable location that can accommodate cash transactions and keep the Delvin branch open for the community.

"I will continue to engage with the board to ensure their concerns are heard and all avenues are explored to protect the services currently in place in Delvin and the expand the services offered.”

In a statement issued to the Westmeath Examiner, Credit Union Plus said: “Our Delvin sub-office has operated on Saturday afternoons for a number of years. During this time footfall has substantially reduced as more members go online and use our full facilities in the Clonmellon office which is open every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

“Delvin members can also use our services in our other branches in Dunshaughlin, Ballivor, Ballyjamesduff and Navan.

“Devlin branch will close on Saturday September 28 and we would like to thank our members from the Delvin area for their continued support.”