Access to Cash – Assessment Process & Guidelines

You fill in the local deficiencies notification form with details about your location and why you think there may be a cash deficiency in your locality. If you need help completing the form, please call us at 0818 681 681 or +353 (0)1 224 5800.

Following your submission, you will receive a confirmation email with a unique reference number.

Once you submit your notification, we will check the information you have submitted for completeness. We are looking for meaningful, relevant information on why you think cash access is not sufficient in your locality, and why existing ATMs or cash service points do not meet your needs. Your local knowledge is valuable, hence we ask that you provide as much specific information as possible. If we need more detail, we will contact you and explain what we need.

Following this validation, and within two weeks, we will publish a record of your notification for your local area along with your unique submission reference.

We don't just look at one location in isolation. Instead, we assess how well the cash network serves your area and the whole community. When we evaluate an area, we:

• Look at the population and the facilities within the locality – We consider the number of individuals likely to be affected by any deficiency in access to cash.
• Build a complete picture of all available cash access, including identifying the number and location of ATMs and cash service points nearby – We consider the hours of operation and availability of cash services, including withdrawal and lodgement of banknotes and coins, and in-person assistance.
• Check how close, in terms of distance, that cash services are to the local population, and we consider the travel time and distance to access alternative cash services nearby.  
• Consider demographic factors relevant to the affected population, including financial inclusion considerations.
• Review any other relevant information that may influence the assessment, such as likely cost, population growth, or other factors affecting access.

Not every location needs its own ATM or cash service point to have adequate access. This broader approach ensures our assessment reflects the service available to people and the surrounding community.

We also consider the type of community, because cash infrastructure will differ depending on whether it's:

• Urban 
• Suburban
• Rural

Each community type has different characteristics and challenges. By taking these into account, we make sure our assessment properly reflects how well access to cash actually works for that particular community. We build a detailed picture of your local area by looking at all the relevant factors together.

After our assessment, we will reach our conclusion that either:

• A local deficiency exists
  Cash services and facilities are not within a reasonable distance and there is insufficient access to cash for the community.

   

  OR

• A local deficiency does not exist 
  While there might be inconveniences, the deficiency does not cause a significant impact on the community and there are cash services and facilities within a reasonable distance that are suitable for the needs of the community.

If we find a local deficiency, we will then assess: Is it appropriate and proportionate that it is remedied?

If we find a local deficiency, we will then assess: Is it appropriate and proportionate that it is remedied?

Some examples of what we consider are as follows:

• If the problem is temporary and likely to resolve without intervention.
• If new cash infrastructure is already planned for your locality.
• If there is a suitable location for a new ATM or CSP and if the potential cost of introducing new services is proportionate.
• Any other matters that may arise and which the Central Bank considers relevant.

We will let you know the outcome of our assessment once concluded (typically 8-12 weeks). We will publish status updates for all submitted notifications, and send an email to the notifier with the outcome of our assessment, relevant to their notification.