To open an account, you’ll need the following:

Proof of ID: Valid passport or driving licence

Proof of Address (dated within last six months): Utility bill, bank statement, letter from government body. (Revolut statements or Mobile Phone bills not accepted)

Proof of PPS Number: Medical Card, EHIC Card, Payslip, Tax Assessment, or PAYE Notice of Tax Credits, Proof of TIN (where applicable)

Lodgement of €5 to activate the account.

If you are having trouble with these requirements, please contact us and we will do our very best to help you.

Click Here to open an account

If you work, live, or study in our common bond of Portlaoise, Abbeyleix, Athy, or Stradbally – you can join People First Credit Union.

You can also join if you live with an immediate family member who is already a member of the credit union.

The “common bond” is the characteristic that unites all members of a credit union. For People First, our common bond is the geographic area of Portlaoise, Abbeyleix, Stradbally, and Athy.

If you’re over 16, all you need to do is download our mobile app and you can join online.

If you want to open a minor account, a joint account, or a club account – please contact the credit union for an appointment to come into the branch and open your account.

We welcome members of all ages!

Parents and guardians may open accounts for children under 16. Minor accounts cannot be opened online, contact us to make an appointment.

If your child is under 7, they do not need to present to open the account.

If your child is over 7, they need to be present to open the account and for all withdrawals on the account.

Documents required:

• Child’s Proof of ID (Passport or Birth Certificate)
• Parent/Guardian’s Proof of Address (dated within last 6 months)
• Parent/Guardian’s Proof of ID (Passport or Driving Licence)

Please note: We operate a sole guardianship policy. This means that only the parent/guardian who opens the account will be permitted to operate the account with the child.

Yes. You can hold membership with more than one credit union as long as you meet each credit union’s common bond requirements.

If your account has no transactions for three years (36 months), it will be classified as dormant. This means that you will not be able to transact on the account until you reactivate it by bringing in your Photo ID and Proof of Address.

Your money is safe and remains in your account, you just have to bring your account up-to-date if you want to access the funds.

We will contact you before the account is due to go dormant to give you time to bring it up-to-date.

Click here for more information.

If you have moved house, it’s important to let us know so that we don’t send anything to your old address.

To change your address, please provide proof of your new address dated within the last 6 months. You can do this in any of our branches or by uploading the document to your online banking.

If you are over 16, you can nominate someone to receive the funds in your account (subject to certain limits) when you pass away. Click here to learn more.

Fill out the registration form here. One of our team will be in touch to verify your details and then we’ll send your PIN by post.

We send the first PIN by post to ensure the security of your account. Alternatively, you can call to any branch with your Photo ID, and we can issue you a PIN straight away at the counter.

Your account will need to be fully up to date to register for online banking.

We offer the exact same services online and in-branch. We want our members to have the flexibility to use online banking at their convenience but also have the option to call into any of our four branches to carry out their business.

Through our online banking system, you can:

• Apply for a loan
• Apply for a current account
• View balances and transactions
• Transfer funds between your accounts
• Transfer funds to other payees
• Lodge using your own card
• Pay bills
• Set up payees (website only)
• Download e-Statements (website only)
• Manage direct debits and standing orders (website only)
• Schedule a transfer (website only)

Fill out this form and one of our staff members will be in touch. Alternatively, you can contact the office directly or call into any of our branches and we will re-issue you with a temporary PIN.

Yes. Our systems are protected by encryption and security measures. You log in with your member number and PIN. Never share these details.

You will never be asked to reveal your PIN to any staff member by phone, email, text or otherwise. If you’re ever concerned about fraud on your account, report it to us immediately.

Yes. Our mobile app is available on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Our app works in most countries.

If you have an Irish mobile number but are residing abroad, you should still be able to receive SMS messages from the credit union and therefore you should be able to access online banking.

If you have a mobile number registered in any of the below countries, you will not be able to receive SMS messages from the credit union and therefore cannot access online banking:

Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea ,Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hongkong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Libya, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Somalia, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

We are always here to help! Contact us on 057 8622594 or info@peoplefirstcu.ie, or call into any of our branches in Portlaoise, Athy, Abbeyleix or Stradbally.

We offer a variety of loans at competitive interest rates.

• Personal Loans
• Car Loans
• Home Improvement Loans
• Student Loans
• Wedding Loans
• Holiday Loans
• Christmas Loans
• Business Loans
• Agri Loans
• Mortgages

Click here for more information about our loan products.

We want your loan application process to be as simple as possible. There are four ways to apply for a loan.

1. Apply through our mobile app
2. Apply through our website
3. Apply over the phone
4. Apply in any of our branches (no appointment needed)

Click here to get started.

Right away!

Once you have €20 in your shares, you can apply for a loan.

Yes. Call us on 0578622594 and ask to make a loan application – you will be transferred to the loan team who will get your application started.

No.

Our four branches have full-time lenders available to speak with. Loan office opening hours are slightly different from the office hours, see here for more information.

Yes.

The loan officer will assess the application in the same way as a new loan application. There are limits on how many top-ups you can receive in a specific time period, the lender will advise you if we are unable to approve your top-up loan application.

You will need to provide supporting documents:

• Proof of income (recent payslips or set accounts)
• 3 months of bank statements.

We may require additional documentation for certain loans, the lender assessing your loan will advise you of this.

We’ve made providing your documents simple. Choose “Open Banking” when applying and you can securely provide us with a transaction listing from your bank account – no need to be downloading, printing, and sending your statements!

Every loan application is assessed carefully and fairly. Our goal is to lend responsibly and to ensure that repayments are affordable for you. When reviewing your application, we look at:

• Repayment capacity: We consider your income and expenses to make sure the loan can be comfortably repaid.
• Credit history: We may use the Central Credit Register to review your history on loans you’ve taken with other financial institutions.
• Savings and account activity: Your relationship with the credit union, including savings history, can help us understand your financial habits.
• Purpose of the loan: Understanding what the loan is for helps us tailor the product to your needs.

We assess each application individually, not by automated scoring alone. Our focus is on supporting members while ensuring loans are granted in a sustainable way.

There are no penalties for early repayment, and we encourage members to talk to us if their circumstances change. This approach ensures we lend in a way that is fair, transparent, and aligned with our members’ best interests.

We have different rates for different loans. View our loan calculator here for the most up-to-date interest rates.

The frequency of your loan repayments typically corresponds to your payment frequency. For example, if you get paid weekly – your loan repayments will be weekly.

Loan repayments are taken by direct debit. This means that we take the money from your bank account on an agreed regular basis.

The term of the loan (how long you will be paying it back for) depends on your repayment amount. This will be set out clearly at the application and draw-down stage.

We may also hold collateral. This means that a small amount of your shares will be locked until the loan balance falls below that amount. You will be clearly advised of this in your credit agreement.

Yes. You can pay your loan early with no penalties or fees.

We completely understand that things can happen in your life which affect your financial situation and ability to pay your debts.

You should contact the credit union as soon as you start to encounter difficulties paying your loan, or if you know that you will have problems in the future. We are willing to work with you to help you through a difficult period.

If your loan falls into arrears, this will affect your credit history. This is why it is so important to contact the credit union so we can work at putting a plan in place to reduce the impact on your credit history.

If you don’t reach out to us and engage with us, our credit control team will be in contact with you. Failure to engage with the credit control team may result in your loan being sent to our legal team for legal action. We are here to help you through any difficult periods in your life, but we can only do that if you keep us informed and engage with our team.

Click here for more information.

The credit union may pay an annual dividend on members’ share balances.

The rate is approved at the AGM after the credit union’s year-end and is based on the CU’s financial performance.

DIRT (Deposit Interest Retention Tax) is deducted from your dividend (currently 33%).

Yes. The credit union has a maximum savings limit of €30,000 per member account.

Yes. Your savings can generally be withdrawn on demand, provided the funds are not held as collateral against your loan and your account is fully up to date.

Limits apply to cash withdrawals.

Our cash withdrawal limit is €3,000 (subject to availability). If you require more than this, please contact us on 057 8622594 and we will do our best to facilitate you.

There is no limit on what can be transferred directly to your bank account. See below for more information.

Yes. By law, eligible deposits are covered by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) up to €100,000 per member. This is a state-backed insurance for your savings if the CU failed. You do not need to apply; it applies automatically. See here for more information.

Transfers made using SEPA Instant are processed within 10 seconds.

Transfers made using SEPA Classic generally take one business day. If the transfer is done before 1pm, it usually reaches the recipient on the same day.

Bank holidays and weekends may affect SEPA Classic processing times. SEPA Instant payments are available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Click here for more information on electronic transactions.

We offer a full-service current account. Equipped with a debit card, you get 24/7 access to your funds and all the modern banking features you expect:

• Online banking
• ATM withdrawals
• Google Pay
• Apple Pay
• Garmin Pay
• Fitbit Pay
• Standing Orders
• Direct Debits
• Overdrafts
• Debit Card

All active members over the age of 16. Your Photo ID must be up-to-date, and we will require a Proof of Address dated within the last six months.

You can open your account on our mobile app or in any of our branches.

You can open a Current Account online or in any of our branches. You may be asked for:

• Proof of ID (Passport or Driving Licence)
• Proof of Address dated within last six months (bank statement, utility bill, etc.)

An overdraft is a short-term way to borrow money on your Current Account.

This can help where things get a little tight (e.g. if you receive a higher-than-anticipated bill).

Once your overdraft is sanctioned, the money is available in your Current Account.

Apply for an overdraft in your mobile app, or in any of our branches.

Our Mastercard® debit card can be used globally wherever Mastercard® is accepted, at ATMs, in shops, and online. Contactless and mobile wallet payments (Apple Pay/Google Pay) are also supported.

The account maintenance fee is €5 per month (charged quarterly). This covers most transaction charges and up to 5 ATM withdrawals per month. See here for a full schedule of fees & charges.

This is a free insurance benefit provided on loans (subject to eligibility). If a borrower dies (or in some cases becomes permanently disabled), the outstanding loan balance is automatically paid off by the insurer.

In practice, this means your family or estate does not inherit your credit union debt.

There are eligibility criteria and conditions to receive this benefit.

See here for more information.

This is a free life insurance benefit on your savings account (subject to eligibility). If an eligible member dies, their savings balance is topped up by an additional sum (up to a fixed limit) and paid to their nominee or estate.

There are eligibility criteria and conditions to receive this benefit.

See here for more information.

Yes. We have partnered with Allianz to provide car, home, and pet insurance to our members at discounted rates.

Click here to learn more.

No. We do not charge fees for any transactions on savings accounts.

There is a maintenance fee of €5 per month for our current account. This covers most transactions, but additional charges may apply. Click here to see the full schedule of fees and charges.

No. We do not charge transaction fees or early repayment penalties on loan accounts.

If you have a current account, your fee statement is issued to you on a quarterly basis through your online banking or via post.

We maintain an up-to-date schedule of Current Account Fees & Charges on our website and on request in any of our branches.

People First Credit Union wants to be regarded by all our members as efficient and fair in all of its dealings with you. However, as with any service provider, things may go wrong from time to time. Where you have a complaint about how the Credit Union has dealt with you, please tell us.

Please click here to learn more about our complaints process.

If the complaint cannot be resolved by the Complaints Officer, it will be referred to the Complaints Committee. If it remains unresolved the complainant has the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). The FSPO is an independent body in Ireland that investigates unresolved disputes with financial institutions.

Click here to learn more about appeals and your right to appeal to the FSPO.

Credit unions comply with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (“GDPR”). The credit union acts as the Data Controller of your personal information and must keep it secure and confidential. We have a Data Protection Officer to oversee compliance.

Your data (e.g. name, address, PPS, account details, etc.) is collected only as needed to provide services and meet legal obligations.

Under GDPR you have several rights regarding your personal data.

• Access your data: Find out if we hold your personal data and request a copy or further details about how it’s processed.

• Correct your data: Ask us to update or fix any incomplete or inaccurate information.

• Delete your data: Request that your personal information be erased when there’s no valid reason to keep it, including if you’ve objected to processing.

• Object to processing: Challenge data processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing, if it doesn’t suit your situation.

• Restrict processing: Ask us to temporarily suspend processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

• Withdraw consent: Revoke consent for processing your data at any time, free of charge.

• Data portability: Request a reusable copy of your relevant personal data or ask us to transfer it to another controller where technically possible

To exercise your data rights, you should contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO).

Email: dataprotection@peoplefirstcu.ie

Phone: 057 86 22594

Address: JFL Avenue, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 XE18

Our Privacy Notice explains how we use your data, how long it’s kept, and who it is shared with.

If you’re unsatisfied with how your data is handled, you can lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (www.dataprotection.ie).