Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Eugene Murphy's question, I cannot ensure this will happen because if part of our economy, credit union or banking sector decides it wants to participate in this, we can only do so much. In response to Deputy Michael McGrath, from the point of view of the Department of Finance, we now believe that we have done all we can to facilitate the set-up of such an entity. It now rests with those who have been calling for this entity to see if they want to go ahead and do it. The matter was not raised with me at the meeting on Tuesday. It was not brought up. On the point about the Minister of State, Deputy English, maybe I can explain what that deadline was. My understanding is that the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has now provided funding to the Irish Council of Social Housing to help see if it can develop the framework to which the Deputy referred. The Irish Council of Social Housing is now aiming to complete that project by the first quarter. Maybe the Deputy is referring to the work the Irish Council of Social Housing is doing rather than the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government or my own Department. I reiterate to both Deputies that we now believe we have done all we can. The matter did not come up again on Tuesday. If there is an opportunity to be grasped - and there may well be - it now rests on those who have identified it to see if they can do it.

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