Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know what is in the reply. We could debate for the entire night why we have come to this position and whether the approach taken was heavy handed, but at this point what people are discussing tonight in Charleville is what is the future of a credit union service in Charleville. Saying the Government supports the credit union movement will not cut it. I seek a meeting with the Department of Finance tomorrow and I will also seek a meeting with the Central Bank to discuss how we will fill the void in Charleville, and how we will have a functioning credit union service available to the people there who have supported the credit union since the very start. Could the Minister of State go back to the Department and the Central Bank? He accepted that there is a demand for a the services of a credit union in the local area and will examine what arrangements can be put in place. I would have thought the Central Bank would have examined what arrangements could be put in place to provide credit union services prior to putting the credit union into liquidation. I accept that there is a commitment that something will be done but that should have been done prior to last Friday. We need to have a functioning credit union within the Charleville area.

A period of 21 days is not acceptable. I cannot see why this cannot be done in two, three or four days. Everything is computerised to the absolute limit and all the facts are available. People's cash – their hard-earned money – is tied up. People need money to survive in their day-to-day lives. It is not acceptable to have pensions, salaries or anything else, whether belonging to individuals or small traders, tied up within the liquidators. I appeal to the Minister of State to give the matter the serious consideration it needs. To be honest, the people of Charleville and its surrounds deserve better. They deserve to have their money and to have a functioning credit union.

I appeal to the Minister of State not to leave a void in respect of other lending services having to come in and deal with the aftermath of this in three, four, five or six months' time. When will there be a service in place? When will the cash be delivered back to its rightful owners? I am seeking a full meeting with the Department of Finance tomorrow or Thursday morning to ascertain what is happening. This is far too serious.

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