Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We support the Sparkasse banking model - I have been working with the group for about four years - as presented by Irish Rural Link and others to the Department of Finance. It was very disappointing to get the response from the Department of Finance. I understand that the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, is saying that all is not lost and that the Government should be given time to consider it. The Government has had four years to do so and we should be proceeding. There is a confluence between this issue and the closure of the post offices because this provides a model for another service. It is a service to small business in particular. It has the advantage that deposits raised in certain areas are retained in those areas so it is about regional development. It brings some of the expertise the Sparkasse organisation has in professional small business lending into the post office or, indeed, into credit unions. There are a variety of ways in which it could be introduced. We strongly support it and we are deeply frustrated with the lack of vision in the Government and among the Government parties in that regard. Do the witnesses support the Sparkasse model that has been presented by Irish Rural Link? I am not familiar with the Kiwi model but I am familiar with the Sparkasse one and I believe it would work. Do the witnesses support the approach that has been taken in that regard?