Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 52:

In page 41, line 32, after "it" to insert the following:

"and in the case of a Credit Union has made reasonable efforts to use fully the dispute resolution options which are available to the consumer as a member of the Union".

This arose on Committee Stage when we discussed the complaint system within the credit union and the point at which a complaint being pursued within the credit union structure should move on to be considered by the ombudsman. The Irish League of Credit Unions expressed the view that there should be a requirement that before a member had recourse to the financial services ombudsman, he or she should use the procedures available to him or her as a member of the credit union.

The crucial words in the amendment are "made reasonable efforts". It is open to the financial services ombudsman to take the view that while he or she may not have exhausted every avenue, the member has made some reasonable efforts to have his or her case dealt with internally. It seems a reasonable way to proceed. Most ombudsman services require a person to exhaust the internal complaints procedures before moving to the next level. The credit union movement felt this would be a better way to deal with the matter since people are members and mutually supportive and should avail of the rules available to them before going outside the credit union.

See this speech in context