State faces tough choices in wake of Ulster Bank decision

It’s a bitter pill for taxpayers to yet again foot the bill for the bailout, but there must be a viable competitor to AIB and Bank of Ireland

The loss of Ulster Bank is a blow that cannot be underestimated. There will come a time to look at the root causes, but first there are more practical steps that need to be taken

The scars of Ireland’s €64 billion bank bailout are still visible if you look closely enough. For its part, the state is unlikely to see half of that money ever again. The banking sector, meanwhile, is still weighed down by mortgage arrears and the need to hold higher levels of capital against new mortgage lending.

It is not surprising, then, that NatWest has decided to wind down the activities of Ulster Bank in the Republic ...