ABCUL Delegation Visits Ireland to Boost Sector Collaboration

Friday 5 December 2025

Last week, a delegation from ABCUL – including Chief Executive Officer, Matt Bland – travelled to Dublin for a series of engagement meetings with colleagues from the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU). The visit formed part of ABCUL’s continued commitment to learning from international partners and strengthening collaboration across the credit union movement.

The trip provided an invaluable opportunity for both organisations to share experiences, deepen understanding and explore how each sector is navigating an evolving financial landscape. Conversations centred on the role of representative bodies, long-term sector strategy, approaches to member engagement, and the mutual challenges and opportunities facing credit unions in Ireland and Great Britain.

Both teams reflected on the similarities that bind the movement, while also recognising the distinct contexts in which each sector operates. The open and constructive discussions provided fresh perspectives that will help shape future work and reinforce a shared ambition to support financially healthy, resilient communities.

Looking ahead, ABCUL and ILCU are committed to making these exchanges a regular feature of cross-sector collaboration. Continued dialogue with international partners not only strengthens relationships, but also ensures the movement remains forward-looking, informed and united in its mission.

ABCUL CEO, Matt Bland, said: “Our visit to Dublin underlined just how much we can gain from engaging closely with our colleagues in Ireland. While our sectors operate in different contexts, we face many of the same challenges and opportunities – and there is real value in learning from one another. Strengthening this relationship is an important part of ABCUL’s commitment to championing our member credit unions and helping the movement thrive.”

ABCUL extends its thanks to the ILCU team for their warm welcome and looks forward to continued joint working in the months and years ahead.