Bank charges

Sir, – Nearly all the main Irish banks charge €10 or €12.70 for refusing to pay a direct debit because your account is empty. It is also common to be charged €5 to €10 when a small withdrawal pushes your account into debit.

For people on the breadline, such nasty surprises must be demoralising.

It shouldn’t be so expensive to be broke. – Yours, etc,