AIB says debit cards ‘operating as normal’ after glitch

Allied Irish Bank (AIB) has said customer debit cards are operating as normal at ATMs after earlier problems left customers unable to withdraw money.

AIB apologised to customers this weekend as debit cardholders experienced difficulties when withdrawing cash at ATMs not operated by it.Customers have been impacted by the glitch since Friday.

However in a statement issued shortly after 3.30pm today the company said : “AIB Debit Cards are now operating normally at ATM machines, including non-AIB ATMs.,”

The company said it was “ continuing to monitor the situation very closely”.

Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath called on the Central Bank to “rigorously assess” the IT systems of Irish banks after glitches which have had a “major impact on customers”.

“Problems with IT systems are now becoming an all too common feature of the Irish banking system,” he said.

“People are entirely at the mercy of financial institutions when it comes to the administration of their personal finances and they need to be assured that adequate systems and safeguards are in place to protect their funds,” he added.

Over the weekend some customers who attempted to withdraw more than €600 from ATMs not operated by the bank found themselves unable to take out funds as their daily limit was mistakenly be seen to have been exceeded.

“At midnight each day, AIB customers’ €600 ATM daily withdrawal limit will be reset,” the bank said.

“AIB apologises to all customers for any inconvenience caused by this issue.”

The bank said over the weekend credit cards were working as normal and that online shopping channels were causing no issues. AIB said its debit cards were working work at point of sale terminals in shops and that cashback of up to €100 per transaction was available from retailers offering the service.

On Friday, AIB blamed a third party provider after customers’ cards were blocked at ATMs not belonging to the bank.

The glitch left customers unable to access their cash without going to specific machines but the bank said nobody would have been left out of pocket by the breakdown.

The bank insisted Friday that AIB cards were working fine at the bank’s own ATMs but that they were being refused at other banks’ machines.