Irish Independent - Your money questions: How much notice do banks have to give if they intend to close one of their branches?
Q Is it true that as a result of new Central Bank rules, banks must now give more notice if they intend to close a branch?
A Under new rules which recently came into force under the Central Bank’s revised Consumer Protection Code (CPC), banks must give individual customers at least six months’ notice that they intend to close a branch.
This is an increase from the previous requirement of two months’ notice, says Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute.
The same six-month notice period also applies where a bank plans to merge or relocate a branch. The six-month notice period begins from the date the credit institution notifies customers about the proposed closure, merger, or branch relocation.
Credit institutions must complete all the business of the branch prior to the closure, merger or move or, alternatively inform customers how an equivalent service will be provided through another branch, Mr Kavanagh says.
Furthermore, when a bank branch is being closed, merged or moved, or when a branch’s services are being significantly changed, banks now need to conduct assessments of the impact of the changes on customers.
Banks also need to make these reports available online and advertise the availability of these reports. The new CPC rules came into force on March 24, 2026, and do not apply to temporary branch closures, such as those required for renovations or emergency works.