KILLARNEY, Ireland -- On the heels of a news report in which Ireland's director of consumer affairs voiced her opposition to independent ATM operators, calls have been made for the removal of the first ATM to be installed in a pub.
According to a report in The Irish Times, town councillors in Killarney demanded the removal of the ATM from McSorleys pub and nightclub because of concerns that it would lead to an increase in youth drinking.
Councillor Sheila Dickson said it was "outrageous" to install an ATM in a place where young adults were drinking. "We have a culture in Ireland where people drink to excess. It has gone beyond control. I think it is outrageous to install a cash machine in this kind of environment."
Shane Coffey, the regional manager of Easycash Ltd, which installed the machine, confirmed that the company was doing a "test run" on ATMs in pubs to gauge reaction. He said that the ATM in McSorleys had been a "complete success" and had received a lot of use.
Coffey said that no decision had been made on whether ATMs would be installed in other pubs in the Republic.
John Bowler, the proprietor of McSorleys, said that the ATM had been installed before Christmas as a customer service. He said that pub patrons who found that they needed money from an ATM had previously had to leave the pub and walk to the end of another street. This was "particularly awkward" for young women, he said.
Bowler said that he regretted describing the ATM as a "Drink Link" in an advertisement that appeared in the Kerry Advertiser newspaper. However, he insisted that he did not plan to remove the ATM from his business.
Tadhg O'Sullivan, chief executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, said that the organization supported the introduction of any new service, such as an ATM, which would benefit customers.
