Business

AIB rolls out translation and language supports across branches

‘Significant proportion’ of accounts being opened by people for whom English is not their first language, says lender

Geraldine Casey (right), AIB retail banking managing director, with Leticia Felix Miranda, from Brazil at AIB's Grafton Street branch, where Leticia availed of AIB’s new language interpretation and translation services. Photograph: Shane O'Neill/Coalesce.
Geraldine Casey (right), AIB retail banking managing director, with Leticia Felix Miranda, from Brazil at AIB's Grafton Street branch, where Leticia availed of AIB’s new language interpretation and translation services. Photograph: Shane O'Neill/Coalesce.
Ian Curran
Tue Feb 04 2025 - 11:30

AIB has rolled out language interpretation services for new and existing customers across its branch network, allowing customers to have their account-opening documents translated.

The in-branch service, which is already available to some customers, is now available on demand in most cases with pre-booking required in a limited number of circumstances.

AIB said it has supported customers across 29 languages so far, with the most in-demand languages being Ukrainian, Arabic, Romanian, Russian, Georgian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Polish, Spanish and Bulgarian. It said that a “significant” proportion of accounts opened in 2024 were by people for whom English was not their first language.

“By providing translation and interpretation services for our new and existing 3.3 million customers we’re empowering them on every step of their financial journey to make better and informed choices,” said Geraldine Casey, managing director of AIB retail banking.

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“And our people are here to support our customers face to face in our 170 branches across the country.”

Language services are available in all 170 AIB branches across the State with interpretation taking place automatically or over the phone.

Last week, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe sold a 5 per cent stake in the bank late at €5.60 per share to stock market investors, raising €652 million.

“It is now a realistic target that the State could exit its position in AIB later this year should market conditions allow,” said Mr Donohoe at the time.

The State’s remaining 12.5 per cent stake is worth €1.67 billion, meaning taxpayers remain about €1.23 billion underwater on their crisis-era €20.8 billion investment in the bank.

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Ian Curran

Ian Curran

Ian Curran is a Business reporter with The Irish Times

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