I wish to share my time with Deputies Moynihan-Cronin and Rabbitte.
In the brief time available to me last night I suggested there was a qualitative difference between those who placed their money with credit unions and those who placed their money, often for speculative benefit, with banks. The history of the two institutions of saving are totally different. To argue that a complaint was lodged by competitors of the credit union for deposits was a total fig leaf. It is unacceptable that a meeting, which has been delayed for two years, will now take place between those who sought it and someone standing in for the Minister for Finance.
The competition regime is entirely the wrong framework for evaluating what is appropriate for credit unions. They have since their inception and will continue to be judged on their social role and the services they provide.