Cheque mates chastise banks

Senator John Dardis was in top form at the recent Oireachtas committee meeting where the banks came in for a lashing from the Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley.

Sen Dardis and his colleagues were annoyed at the banks' new policy of refusing to cash cheques, even, God save us, cheques from the Paymaster General.

Making the point that the range of services in the UK banking sector was superior to that available here, the Kildare senator said he had at one time banked in England, quickly adding that he did so with the consent of the Central Bank.