A chara, - Marc Coleman's interview with TK Whitaker (May 30th) referred to "a revolutionary document entitled Economic Development". That Department of Finance publication of the 1950s, although very influential, had its limitations and was not the bible.
As quoted in my book Credit Unions in Ireland, Economic Development was dismissive of co-operative credit societies. Visionaries, especially the late Séamus MacEoin and Nora Herlihy, realised the economic and social potential of such mutual credit societies.
Their voluntary initiatives resulted in the Irish credit union movement. With billions in assets and millions of members, it is one of the great success stories of modern Ireland. - Is mise,
ANTHONY P QUINN, Law Library, Dublin 7.