The union representing bank staff will enter into "crucial" talks with banking officials as efforts to increase staff safety are stepped-up, following a series of hostages.
The Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) issued a statement today saying that it had stopped short of telling members not to act as keyholders for banks till security was beefed-up.
The IBOA issued an ultimatum to banks last month that if security for staff who held keys was not increased they would issue the directive to members. It follows a number of so called tiger kidnappings and attacks on bank workers and cash-and-transit security staff by criminal gangs.
But today the union said that constructive meetings have been taking place with the Gardai, industry representatives and each of the banks, with further meetings are planned.
General Secretary Larry Broderick said a number of IBOA members and their families had already been held hostage this year and were still suffering from the trauma. "There is no doubt that bank officials and their families feel very vulnerable at the moment, particularly to tiger kidnapping. We are not prepared to allow profit to come before our members and their families."
The IBOA Executive Committee would review talk progress in October, he said.