As we alluded to last week, redundancies in the Irish banking sector now sadly seems like an inevitability. But the scale of job losses predicted across the financial sector is rather astounding.

The finance union Irish Bank Officials’ Association has forecast that another 4,000 roles are likely to go over the next six months with AIB – which is radically restructuring under terms agreed with the EU – the main culprit.

Ireland’s biggest bank is expected to shed thousands of jobs once it finalises the terms of this restructuring plan in September.

So far, either through redundancy announcements or natural attrition, there have been around 6,000 jobs lost in the financial sector over the last 18 months. Here are IBOA’s estimates as to where these have hit:

-1,700 at AIB

-1,800 at Bank of Ireland

-1,000 at Ulster Bank

-230 at Anglo Irish Bank

-750 at Halifax

-150 at National Irish Bank

-120 at Permanent TSB

-150 at Postbank

-200 at Royal Bank of Scotland Technology Services

So far though, future job losses are largely the subject of speculation with Larry Broderick, IBOA’s general secretary talking of “huge rumours” around significant cuts.

“While we appreciate that AIB is still in talks with the EU Commission over its viability plan, we believe that the broad thrust of its business strategy should now be in place and open to comment,” he said.