Madam, - The Labour Party is indeed correct to castigate the banks for not availing of the €15 billion Small Business Operational Fund set up by the European Central Bank last September ("Call for fund to help small businesses", The Irish Times, November 24th).
However, instead of putting pressure on the banks to take up these funds, why not bypass the banks altogether? The credit unions are ideally set up to administer such funds to small businesses.
We have always found our local credit union in Dalkey to be very helpful for our own small business, and a pleasure to deal with. Credit unions are owned by their customers and have a stake in their local communities. Now is definitely the time to expand their role. - Yours, etc,
GREG CARLEY,
Killiney Hill Road,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.