Published Friday, 27 July 2012
Five First Trust locations are to close as part of the cost cutting review. (© Pacemaker)
Sub offices in Belleek, Londonderry, Dromore, and Jordanstown will be closed between October and December this year but are already operating on reduced opening hours.
A branch in Ballycastle will shut in November, and customer accounts moved to Coleraine.
The company has said the closures are part of a review of the branch network which found some locations to be "unsustainable".
Gerry McGinn, from First Trust Bank, said: "As a community bank, it is never easy to make the decision to close branches.
"We are very aware that many customers may be disappointed with this news and our staff will do everything they can to minimise any inconvenience caused."
First Trust is a subsidiary of Allied Irish Banks which was bailed out by the Irish government and is attempting to make savings of €170 million a year.
The bank has confirmed that 51 locations across Ireland will shut up shop by the end of 2012, with the remaining 16 closing in 2013.
An AIB spokeswoman said nearly 350 employees will be affected by the closures, but insisted there will be no compulsory redundancies.
The bank announced plans in March to lay off 2,500 staff members as part of the cost review. Half the redundancies will be made this year and the other half next.
Phil Flanagan, Sinn Féin MLA for Fermanagh/South Tyrone, has described the closure of the bank's branch in Belleek as "a devastating blow."
"Belleek has suffered terribly like any other town or village in Ireland from the recession and we have recently seen threats to the viability of major employers in the town.
"This decision is a further blow to the local community."
He said that the impacts of the border "are clear to be seen" on places like Belleek, where the levels of service provision, economic growth and job creation have been very low since the partition of Ireland.
"We cannot continue carrying on the way we are and expect change to come. Overcoming the barriers of the border must be a priority for all of us if border communities like Belleek are to prosper," he added.