CONCERN about the impending election was evident during the committee stage hearings of the Credit Union Bill this week. The hearings were attended by representatives of the 1.85 million strong movement and all the deputies who spoke, both Government and Opposition, were sympathetic to the credit union lobby.

There was a noticeable tendency during the debate for deputies to refer, "for instance", to the own local credit union. Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central) spoke at length about former constituents who have since moved to Tallaght but still come back to Francis Street and Meath Street to do their shopping, and still want to be associated with their Dunore Avenue credit union.

Mr Byrne's Ministerial party colleague, Pat Rabbitte, (Dublin South West), said he was glad to hear people were keeping their links with their old neighbourhoods. However, he said, for the purposes of elections he hoped they weren't still registered there!