Seanad debates
Thursday, 27 March 2003
Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2002: Second Stage.
There is a fundamental difference between credit unions and other financial institutions. They are run by volunteers who are not there to make money for themselves. Such institutions cannot be integrated with a financial services sector run by individuals who grossly overpay themselves. They regard financial services as the area in which to get rich quick. To a degree, it is a semi-protected market. The same ethos, values or regulation to deal with financial services delivered through the volunteer credit unions cannot be applied to financial services in which individuals are very highly rewarded. It does an injustice both to the credit unions and those asked to regulate them.
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