Aviva plans to close all branches in Ireland with loss of up to 1,250 jobs

It may be still the name of Ireland's national soccer and rugby ground but insurance company Aviva is planning to closing down all of its branches in the Republic. A leaked internal document sets out proposals to shed between 950 and 1,250 jobs and close the entire network of 26 branches in Ireland by June next year. Last month Aviva announced that 950 staff would be made redundant, with a further 300 facing outsourcing of their jobs. Under the new proposals, existing Irish business would gradually be transferred to branches in the UK over a year as it came up for renewal. UK products would be adapted for sale in the Irish market, with limited deviation from UK standards. The 26-branch network would be shut down by the end of June 2012 with the loss of 120 jobs. The end of Aviva's branches in the Republic prompted one commentator on the Twitter social network on Tuesday night to demand that Aviva Stadium, where the Republic of Ireland side secured their place in next year's European Championships last week, should revert to its old name of Lansdowne Road. Aviva issued a statement saying that work was continuing on the feasibility of its options and no decisions had been made. "We are committed to a consultation process and sharing the outcome of our discussions with our employees first," it said. • The headlines and text of this article were amended on 24 November 2011 to make clear that the closure of Aviva's branches in Ireland has not been announced by the company, but is proposed in a leaked document. A statement from Aviva was added.