This article is from page 12 of the 2013-05-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
AMERICAN tourists were “horrified” at the poor standard of customer service they encountered at banks in Ennis, it has been claimed.
The group from Phoenix, Arizona, which is twinned with Ennis, visited the town in March for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Ennis councillor Mary Howard (FG), a member of the Ennis / Phoenix Twinning Board, said some of the group, that included students from St Mary’s Catholic School, had problems trying to convert $100 bills to euros.
She told the May meeting of Ennis Town Council that one bank refused the change $100 bills because no one in the group had an account.
She said the students were told they “couldn’t take over the bank” and that they were “disrupting customers”. Cllr Howard says the tourists were dealt with in an “incourteous manner”. She said the group were “shocked” at their alleged treatment.
Cllr Howard added, “This is the year of the Gathering. It was horrifying.” She told the meeting incidents like this “create a bad impression” of Ennis.
She raised the issue in a motion discussed at the council meeting. Cllr Howard called on the council to request, “The Minister for Finance investigate the issue regarding $100 because financial institutions are refusing to accept same. This is causing difficulties for our tourism sector and causing embarrassment to tourists in the year of the Gathering.”
Cllr Howard said she raised the matter at the meeting because the group were guests of Ennis Town Council.
Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine (FF) told the meeting that banks have become “unwelcome and a nuisance” to customers. He said this was not the fault of frontline staff but decisions taken by senior management in the banking sector.
He added, “This happening was a serious embarrassment to the town.”
Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said, “We shouldn’t just write to the Minister but to the Taoiseach, not only for tourists but for local people. It’s a disgrace.”
Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said the group should have demanded to see the manager. He said he is always treated in a courteous manner by staff in banks.
In a separate motion passed at the meeting, Cllr Paul O’Shea called on the council “to ensure that banking executives will include Ennis in the provision of ATM machines that dispense € 10 notes, so as to facilitate those on social welfare and on low incomes.”