GALWAY FIRST ACTIVE BRANCHES TO MERGE WITH ULSTER BANK

Date Published: 26-Jan-2009

A nationwide merger of First Active and Ulster Bank will mean the closure of two First Active Branches in Galway.Customers of First Active in Oranmore and Forster Street in the city will now have their accounts transferred to Ulster Bank in Eyre Square.Staff at the First Active branches in Oranmore and the city, as well as staff at the five Ulster Bank branches in Eyre Square, Newcastle Road, Oranmore, Athenry and Tuam will be offered voluntary redundancy packages.Any lay-offs in Galway will be rolled out on a voluntary basis and meetings will be held with employees and employee representatives in the coming days.The Ulster Bank Group, which owns First Active and Ulster Bank, earlier today announced the merger of the groups, which will result in the loss of 750 jobs.