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

I have had two meetings in recent weeks with representatives and leaders of the different credit union movements. I found these very helpful and I plan to have another meeting in the coming week or two. I heard from them some of the concerns raised by Deputy Naughten. The Deputy will appreciate that some of the issues they refer to are regulatory matters on which I am not the decision maker. They are decisions that are made by the Central Bank of Ireland. I have passed on to the Central Bank some of the issues that were raised.

There has been further communication from the Central Bank with the credit union movement since the last meeting I had. I will meet the credit union movement again, have a discussion about where it stands, and see where these different issues are. I cannot intervene in many of the issues the movement has raised but I appreciate the really valuable role our credit unions are playing. As Deputy Naughten has rightly said, they support many citizens at the moment who otherwise would not be supported by our banks. I value the work they are doing and I will try to recognise that in the period ahead in my engagement with them. If there are things they ask for that I can do, I will look at those requests carefully.

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