29/10/2026
Access to Cash in Rural Ireland.
Irish Rural Link (IRL) has welcomed the publication of the Central Bank of Ireland's Access to Cash Local Deficiency Assessment Outcome Reports, highlighting the importance of maintaining access to cash in rural communities.
While welcoming the findings, IRL has stressed that practical measures are needed to ensure people living in rural Ireland can continue to access cash easily and conveniently, particularly in areas where banking and ATM services are limited.
Read more below 👇
Irish Rural Link (IRL) has welcomed the publication by the Central Bank of Ireland of the Access to Cash Local Deficiency Assessment Outcome Reports, while emphasising that the findings must translate into meaningful action to ensure people living in rural Ireland can access cash when and where they need it.
While the publication of these reports represents an important step in implementing the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025, IRL has consistently highlighted the impact that bank branch closures, the withdrawal of financial services and the reduction in local banking facilities have had on rural towns and villages.
Irish Rural Link will continue to work with both the community and the Central Bank, where traditional cash access options are no longer available, to develop a formal framework for the provision of community ATMs and Community Banking Models, which will aim to bring accessible cash points to rural areas and remote locations, ensuring that cash remains accessible to all citizens, including elderly, low-income, and vulnerable households, small businesses and community organisations, while helping to promote economic inclusion and the development of rural economies.
IRL also stresses the importance of ensuring that ATMs are available outside of limited trading schedules and that they are sufficiently stocked to avoid running out of cash, particularly in smaller rural communities. Access to cash also supports the night-time economy and the viability of the rural pub and restaurant sectors, where electronic payments incur transaction fees, placing further financial stressors on an industry already struggling to cope with high energy and input costs.
Read more on this story: https://irishrurallink.ie/irl-responds-to-central-banks-access-to-cash-reports-and-calls-for-meaningful-action-for-rural-communities/
Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
