ⓒ Irish Times
PTSB, a major Irish bank, announced today that it has resolved a significant technical issue affecting payment processing for most of its customers. The problem, which lasted for over 12 hours for some, caused delays and failures in sending and receiving payments, impacting wages, pensions, and other transfers. Many customers were also unable to make payments, potentially affecting direct debits and standing orders.
While the bank claims to have resolved the majority of payment issues, its mobile banking app remains offline. The desktop version of its online banking service, Open24, is still functional. The timing of the outage, coinciding with the last Friday of the month (payday for many) and Black Friday, exacerbated the frustration for customers.
The bank attributed the problem to a technical failure within a third-party payment provider, suggesting that several European banks were similarly affected. PTSB has apologized for the disruption, assuring customers that they will not suffer any financial penalties due to the outage. The bank also stated it will cover any fees incurred due to late payments.
The incident highlighted the vulnerability of banking systems to third-party failures and the widespread inconvenience such outages cause. Social media was flooded with complaints from PTSB customers, particularly pensioners who were left without access to their funds. The Central Bank of Ireland confirmed it is monitoring the situation and engaging with PTSB to ensure a swift resolution.
This is not the first instance of technical difficulties for PTSB this month. Earlier in November, the bank experienced intermittent issues affecting both its mobile app and desktop services. This latest incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Irish banks in maintaining reliable digital services for their customers.
