'ATM services must stay'-Cllr Robinson

Speaking on a debate last week on the Rates Order (Northern Ireland) 2010, Mr Robinson called for the continued exemption of rates for ATM's located in rural areas adding that the service the cash machines provides to local communities is "beyond price".

Mr Robinson said: "This debate addresses an issue that provides a great benefit to those who live in rural areas of Northern Ireland. Rural dwellers appreciate and need easy access to their money just as much as those who live in towns. By ensuring that it is cheaper for businesses to provide that vital service, we can help those businesses to continue to provide it."

"In recent weeks and months, we have all seen the appalling damage that has been done to rural businesses by criminal gangs who decide to make unexpected illegal cash withdrawals. The repair bill and the loss of business after those raids can be considerable. This motion is aimed at helping and encouraging those businesses to keep providing ATMs in their local communities in the long term. The loss of service to the community is beyond price."

The MLA added that a community's location should not determine what services should be accessible.

"The fact that someone lives in the country should not mean that they cannot have access to their cash on a 24-hour basis. If someone has access to a local ATM in a rural area, it could perhaps save them a 20-mile return journey to the nearest town's ATM. Is that not an excellent way of helping to stabilise and protect the rural population and aid small businesses, which are more common in rural areas, so that they thrive and remain viable?"

"This motion has a very practical and serious intent. I urge everyone to support it, as it is a small way of encouraging local community stability and business support at minimal cost to the public purse. I thank the Minister for his input, and I support the motion."