Credit unions could be in the position to fund social housing projects through approved bodies by next year.

A report by a leading academic has called for lending restrictions on credit unions to be eased in order to provide consumers with more mortgage options — for which there is “pent-up demand”, according to one of the sector’s biggest bodies.

The appointment of Des Carville as head of the Department of Finance’s shareholder management unit could see an acceleration of the Government divestment of its stake in the pillar banks, according to Merrion Stockbroker analyst Ciaran Callaghan.