Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To take Deputy Pringle's last point on a uniform response, my confidence lies in the fact that this business development group's report will land not only on the Minister, Deputy White's desk but in front of the Cabinet. It will be subject to discussion by Cabinet which will also discuss acceptance of the proposals. It has to be uniform, united and proactive. Otherwise, there would have been no point doing this in the first place. I am not here to be part of a business development group which is not serious about what it intends doing. There has to be an outcome, be it financial or through Government intervention.

The Deputy referred to trust in banking. Credit unions and post offices are in the community. Those in the banking sector, including many who are retired, would speak of the lack of community engagement today whereas bankers knew their communities 15, 20 or 25 years ago. The credit unions and the post offices know the people in their communities and they are now at an advantage in terms of winning the trust of the public. What we have got to do is build on that.

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