Winter Newsletter 2024

Chairpersons Address
Welcome to Newsletter Winter 2024

A Chairde

I hope this message finds you and your families well. As we approach the end of 2024, I would like to take a moment to reflect on a great year for Killarney Credit Union and the milestones we have achieved together. As this is our first in person AGM since 2019, we are very much looking forward to welcoming our members in person.

This year we lent €26.7 million to our members in the local communities of South and East Kerry, which has grown our loan book to €57.1 Million. We are extremely proud of this achievement. Lending is our main source of income and plays a crucial role in maintaining our financial strength and ensuring our sustainability. By offering competitive loans to you our members we not only help you achieve your goals but also generate income that enables us to reinvest in our services and the community. Going forward we ask all our members for your continued support in availing of the excellent products we have available when you may next need to borrow. Don’t forget most of these loans also attract full life assurance cover.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles are becoming increasingly important across the financial sector, especially for credit unions, as it aligns closely with our values of community support, financial inclusion, and sustainable practices. To underpin these principles we ran a Green Home Initiatives Roadshow, in late Spring, showcasing leading companies providing services such as Solar Panels, Home Heating Solutions, Insulation, Windows & Doors and Thermo Homes. In order to support the green economy and encourage everyone to strive for more energy efficient enhancements, we are offering low interest rates on home renovations, retrofitting and transport initiatives. For information on Green Finance Initiatives or to see the list of Green service providers we have collaborated with go to www. killarneycu.ie/gogreen.

We are working to reduce our carbon footprint in all branches by embracing energy efficiency. We are also encouraging digital transactions via our Mobile App and Current Account and providing members with options for paperless statements therefore reducing paper usage and postage costs. We now also have a full end to end loan docu sign service again reducing paper. From a social aspect we have given talks to community groups helping them with financial education and financial literacy. Education is one of our guiding principles. To this end we worked on a fraud awareness campaign in partnership with the Credit Unions of Kerry & West Limerick and An Garda Síochána to highlight the dangers of acting as a money mule. This program was delivered to four secondary schools in our common bond.

Our involvement with the Killarney Coffee Cup Project continues and this year focused on education. We were part of an initiative bringing local 5th class students to the National Park to be educated on our Biosphere, and were involved in a replanting project of acorns back into the Killarney National Park. Each school planted and nurtured acorns resulting in saplings being gifted back to the National park in June for replanting. We also showcased art projects designed by local secondary school students made from coffee cups.

Other events during the year included a Member Appreciation week which resulted in many new current accounts being opened and new members joining across all three branches. We launched our first ever Social Impact Report in April at a community event in our Killarney branch where the majority of sponsorship recipients from the previous year attended.

Minister Neale Richmond, Minister of State with responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance visited Kerry in July to hold a round table meeting with the Credit Unions of Kerry & West Limerick. The visit, which was proudly hosted by Killarney Credit Union, underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening community-based financial institutions and recognised the critical role credit unions play in fostering economic growth and financial inclusion.

For the 10th consecutive year Credit Unions in Ireland won the Cxi award for Customer Service. Our position at the top remains unchanged because our approach to members remains unchanged - Members are always put first. Credit Unions were also voted Ireland’s MOST SUSTAINABLE ORGANISATION in The RepTrak Sustainable Index 2024 study, carried out by The Reputations Agency.

The photo collage on your AGM invitation displays our fantastic donations of over €50,000 to various local clubs, organisations, community initiatives and schools throughout the year. We take our social responsibilities seriously and we very much value the support we receive in return.

As we look toward the future, we are excited about the opportunities ahead. Our focus remains on delivering excellent member service, expanding financial products tailored to your needs, and continuing to support the economic and social well-being of our members and community.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Killarney Credit Union team, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for your continued trust and support. Your membership is what drives us to innovate, improve, and grow. We are proud to be your financial partner, and we look forward to serving you in the years to come.

Wishing you a peaceful and Happy Christmas and we look forward to continued service through 2025.

Go raibh maith agaibh go léir