Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a clear commitment in the programme for Government, as initiated by Fianna Fáil, to ensure the credit unions use this vehicle. As Deputy Ó Caoláin said, today is credit union day and, indeed, the credit union movement has given 60 years of dedicated service to communities, businesses and families. It has been lauded as the No. 1 customer experience and has been voted as such in the last four years. Like Deputy Ó Caoláin, I want to ask when we will see the outgoings in this regard. The Central Bank gave a clear commitment that the credit unions would be able to participate in this yet there seems to be a lack of effort by the Government to initiate it. It is time to stop propping up banks that are charging exorbitant interest rates to those lucky enough even to get consideration for loans, not to mention the failure to put a stop to the rampant gallop of the vulture funds' activities.

See this speech in context