Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My contribution will be short. Most of the questions I wanted to asked have already been asked and answered. There is no point in delaying the witnesses any longer. I know Mr. Boland and Mr. Maye well and I also know Mr. Farrell and some of our other guests pretty well. Over the years, I have given total support to what they are trying to do. It appears that we could get agreement among the witnesses on a rural bank but they are like the fox who has been caught in his den - if he puts his head out, he will be shot. That is the way I read it. I have been listening to the debate all afternoon. Despite their will, plans and best efforts, it appears that someone is waiting outside the den to take them out if they emerge.

In reply to a parliamentary question last month, the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government , Deputy English, indicated, "One of the credit union movements is ready; it is through all of the process and has money available. I cannot be any clearer than that." To me, that is worth nothing any more. I am of the view that there is a lot of blocking going on. I will put some direct questions and any of our guests can answer them. In terms of getting this up and running, are we as far from our destination as we are from Timbuktu? Rural banking, as it was provided by the pillar banks, is gone. There is no counter service in the branch Strokestown, County Roscommon, where I live. That is a joke. The position is the same in towns in many counties. We will not have any banking service soon. We are lucky to have the credit unions.

We need this public bank. As a previous speaker indicated, the banks do not want small accounts and they do not want people calling to branches. The tell people they will call out to the community and that, as a result, there is no need for customers to visit branches. My worry is that we are a long way from achieving this, however. I hope I am wrong but I ask that someone comment.