Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Again, I commend the Government on this amendment. It is one of the most important moves to acknowledge explicitly in the Bill a very positive suggestion made by the credit unions. In these rather bleak times when we often argue with one another about what not to do, and desperately look around for positive suggestions about what we might do, this is a positive, forward-looking and imaginative proposal by the credit unions that can benefit everybody. Not only is it important to include it in the Bill but I urge the credit unions, as did the Minister of State, to come forward with their proposals so that we can look at them and thereby take this suggestion seriously. It seems as if some of the desperately needed investment funds we would all like to see made available to invest in employment-rich and socially valuable projects are being offered to us by an organisation whose members have the best interests of this country at heart. It is a very positive move and I hope we not only include it in the Bill but also that we take up this suggestion and seek to develop it.

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