Mr. Larry Broderick:

These are two different matters. There are representatives of State-owned bodies on the boards of State-owned banks at the moment and they have not caused difficulties. We are saying that if one wants a better balance and the corporate responsibility of a broader, more diverse board, we must factor in how one maximises the opportunity for the employer or the shareholder. However, the board must also be sensitive to other groups as part of this process. An enlightened board with staff representatives, a regulator in attendance and a customer point of view will help inform banks to come to a decision. None of these people will say that the banks should be out of business or there should be a branch in every location in the country. These are not the kinds of people who will be on these boards. They will be responsible people seeking a balance. There is value in that. Equally, the forum creates guidelines. Every employer will do what it must based on its short-term needs or its shareholders' needs. However, it makes a difference if one starts identifying one's corporate social responsibility, how one can do things a little differently and how one can gauge a little more to achieve that change in a more engaging way with customers, employees and other such people. To be fair, I think some of the banks, in their strategies for the future, are beginning to recognise this. They are sitting down with us as a union and saying they will not close all branches and asking how they can do things a little differently. This is an opportune time. Very importantly, if we do not create some kind of forum, every bank will be very focused on its own little objective, and the Irish taxpayer and our local communities will be left out there. However, if a forum can be created whereby one can have conversations and reconcile the need for organisations to remain independent and have their own objectives - some of these banks are State-owned - one can at least create a value proposition that people might look up to. This is the challenge for banks at the moment: how does one make a difference in the marketplace?