Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Credit Union Sector: Discussion (Resumed)

Ms Anne Marie McKiernan:There are a number of credit unions which have faced difficulties, as the Deputy will be aware, and have needed resolution in recent years. Some of those resolutions have used legislation and a court process to have them either directed to transfer or liquidated. In those cases we have worked very hard to ensure that in the course of those resolutions no members lost any funds. Obviously, that is a very difficult process. This year we have also carried out a number of restructurings, effectively resolution, within the sector using private funds which the sector pays into in a fund under the offices of the Irish League of Credit Unions. In all the cases that we are undertaking we are always very concerned that any unexpected events could happen and that there is the potential for members to lose funds. We judge that if any member of a credit union was to lose funds, however small, over €100,000, that would have a very significant confidence spill over across the sector. That is a very big risk which we intend to reduce. We feel that is very much in line with our mandate to help ensure the financial stability of the sector.