Mr. Des Carville:

I would not disagree with anything the Senator has said. In particular, I would highlight the standing of the credit union movement in terms of customer loyalty towards the sector. I would endorse that. In terms of investment criteria, the world today is a different place from where it was a number of years ago. We are in this environment of lower interest rates for the longer term. I welcome the fact that the Central Bank will engage in public consultation in the coming weeks on investment restrictions. No doubt the Department will make its views known to the Central Bank in due course, perhaps the implementation group might do likewise, and, dare I suggest, the committee might also make its views on that known in due course. It is appropriate that the investment restrictions be looked at over the coming months.