Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement this morning by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade that €200,000 is being provided for the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. That follows from the agreement brokered by the US and Russia on how to deal with the stockpile of Syrian chemical weapons. Personally, I would like to see all weapons decommissioned in Syria but at least this is a start, and I am glad Ireland is contributing in making this possible. Ireland has already provided €11 million in humanitarian aid to Syria.

Hardly a day goes by in this House without us hearing very strong criticism of banks and financial institutions in general, so it is encouraging to see the very comprehensive Amárach Research findings into credit unions which come up with very positive results. Credit unions remain popular and trusted, with convenience and community ethos being the key drivers of this view. Key highlights of the research indicate that half of the adult population of Ireland are active credit union members, with almost 80% of adults believing that credit unions are becoming more relevant. Almost all people believe that service levels have improved. Credit unions have over three times the number of people recommending them compared with other financial institutions. They are seen as being stronger and are a preferred choice for personal and car loans. Of non-members surveyed, 32% indicated that this year they are quite likely to join the credit union.

I ask the Leader to organise a debate in the House on the future of credit unions, as there is a significant appetite to increase the type of services provided by these unions. It would be appropriate to have a discussion with the Minister about the stability of the credit union movement and examine how the movement could be expanded in future to provide more service for the community and help drive economic recovery, particularly in rural parts of the country.