Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union

Name

Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union

Legal name

Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union Limited

Website

https://csdcu.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Credit Union Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL), Cooperative Banks (Member-Owned Commercial/Retail) (FSABAEAF)

Keywords

• Credit union services
• Personal loans
• Mortgage lending
• Current accounts
• Savings products

Headquarters

HQ city

Askeaton

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Primary revenue stream from interest charged on various loan products including car loans, home improvement loans, mortgages, education loans, farm loans, and personal loans. Interest rates vary by product type.
2. Current Account Services: Fees and charges from current account services including debit card operations, overdraft facilities, and payment services
3. Foreign Exchange Services: Revenue from foreign currency exchange services provided through Fexco partnership
4. Dividend Distribution: Not-for-profit model where surplus income is returned to members through dividends on shares and loan interest rebates

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative that provides consumer lending, savings, current account, mortgage, and ancillary financial services to individuals within its common bond area of Limerick City, County, and North Kerry. Core offerings include personal/car/home improvement/education/farm/welcome loans, mortgages, savings and current accounts, a Visa Debit card with mobile wallet support, foreign exchange, and insurance products, delivered through 15 branches and digital channels.

Product overview

Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union operates as a not-for-profit financial cooperative offering a comprehensive suite of financial services through a network of 15 branches across Limerick City, County, and North Kerry. The product portfolio centers on core lending products (personal loans, car loans, home improvement loans, education loans, Cultivate farm loans, loans secured by savings, welcome loans for first-time borrowers, and mortgages) alongside savings and current account services. Digital service offerings include a mobile banking app (CU Online+), online account management, and digital member onboarding. Supplementary services encompass foreign exchange through Fexco, insurance products (death benefit, Coveru, CUsafe), payment services (bill payment, payroll deduction, SEPA transfers), and utility tools such as loan calculators. The credit union manages over €90 million in loans and serves approximately 59,000 members following the 2026 merger with Unity Credit Union.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cultivate Farm Loans: Agricultural loan initiative for farmers providing short to long term loan opportunities up to €125,000
• CU Online+
• Coveru Insurance
• CUsafe

Products and services

• Car Loans Loans for purchasing vehicles including cars, vans, camper vans, and motorbikes. Promotional rate of 3.9% variable (3.97% typical APR) for new cars; 6.9% variable (7.11% typical APR) for used cars. Maximum term of 5 years. Includes free Loan Protection Insurance and no early repayment penalties.
• Home Improvement Loans Loans for home renovation projects. Standard Home Improvement Loans up to €80,000 at 8.9% variable (9.27% APR) for amounts under €40,000; Green Loans over €40,000 at 6.5% variable (6.69% APR) for energy-efficient upgrades such as insulation, windows, doors, heat pumps, solar panels, and boiler upgrades.
• Education Loans Loans to cover third-level education costs including accommodation, fees, and college-related expenses. Maximum loan of €25,000 at 6.9% variable rate (7.11% APR).
• Cultivate Farm Loans Agricultural financing initiative for farmers enabling investment in machinery, building upgrades, and livestock purchases. Borrow up to €125,000 unsecured for up to 10 years at 6.55% variable rate (6.75% APR). Two sub-products: Capital Investment and Working Capital.
• Loans Secured by Savings Loans using existing credit union savings as collateral, allowing members to borrow while keeping their savings intact. Maximum loan of €100,000 at 5% variable rate (5.11% APR).
• Welcome Loans Special reduced-rate loans for first-time borrowers and returning members who have not had a loan in one year. Rate of 7.95% variable (8.24% APR) with a cited 95% approval rating.
• Mortgages Mortgage loans for purchasing private dwelling houses. Interest rate of 3.85% variable (3.92% APR). Maximum LTV of 90% for first-time buyers and 80% for non-first-time buyers. Maximum loan of 4x gross income with up to 35-year term.
• Savings Accounts Regular share accounts and term deposit accounts for members. Savings are protected by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme (up to €100,000 per depositor), Life Savings Insurance, and the Savings Protection Scheme operated by the Irish League of Credit Unions (€118 million fund).
• Current Account Full-service current account with globally accepted Visa Debit Card, contactless payment support via Apple Pay and Google Pay, overdraft facilities, standing orders, direct debits, SEPA Instant Payments (incoming and outgoing), SEPA Classic payments, and salary/payroll lodgement.
• Foreign Exchange Services Bureau de Change service through Fexco partnership offering over 40 currencies for order online with 0% commission on online orders. Foreign notes available on demand (Sterling, USD) with other currencies available within 2-3 working days.
• Insurance Products Insurance offerings comprising Death Benefit Insurance (€1,300 funeral expense cover at no cost to eligible members), Coveru (car, home, and travel insurance at exclusive credit union rates via Marsh), and CUsafe (home, car, travel, life, and pet insurance comparison service developed by Irish credit unions).
• Payment Services Comprehensive payment services including bill payment (Electric Ireland, Bord Gais, Eircom, mobile top-ups), credit transfers, payroll deduction (Wyeth Nutrition, Aughnish Alumina, Kingspan), and electronic funds transfer with Sort Code 99-21-97. Includes SEPA Instant and SEPA Classic payment processing.
• Mobile Banking App Mobile application enabling 24/7 account access, loan applications, biometric authentication (Touch ID/Face ID), document uploads, ID verification, and e-signature capabilities. Available on iOS (11.0+) and Android (5.0+).
• CU Online+ Online Banking Online account management platform allowing members to view balances, statements, and transactions, apply for loans, use loan calculators, and securely message the credit union with document uploads.
• Digital Member Onboarding Online membership application process enabling new members to join via mobile app or web, requiring photo ID, proof of address, and proof of PPS number. Members can also apply for loans through the same digital process.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% loan approval rate
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Fexco Bureau de ChangeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership provides foreign currency exchange services to members. Members can order foreign currency online at www.fexcocurrency.com with 0% commission for online orders. Over 40 currencies available, including buyback of unused currencies.
• Shannon AirportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFly Shannon competition partnership offering members chance to win return flight tickets to Madrid, Porto, or Lanzarote. Three winners selected monthly July-September 2026.
• Coveru (Marsh)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance products partnership providing exclusive rates on car, home, and travel insurance to credit union members through specially selected panel of insurers.
• CUsafeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance partnership developed by Irish credit unions to provide best value insurance products for members. Access to home, car, travel, life, and pet insurance through negotiated provider discounts.
• Fly ShannonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partnership with Fly Shannon offering competition prizes of return flight tickets. Winners announced monthly across social media platforms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bank of Ireland: Major Irish retail and commercial bank offering mortgages, personal loans, savings, and farm finance. Overlaps directly with CSDCU's lending and deposit products in the Limerick region and competes on price for the same household borrowers.
• Permanent TSB: One of Ireland's main retail banks, offering current accounts, mortgages, savings, and personal loans nationwide. Directly competes with CSDCU for the same Limerick household deposit and mortgage demand, though with a much wider product set and branch network.
• Ulster Bank Ireland: Irish retail and commercial bank (part of NatWest Group) competing directly for mortgage, personal loan, and savings customers across the Limerick/Munster region — overlapping head-to-head with CSDCU's core product set.
• AIB (Allied Irish Banks): Ireland's largest domestic bank with full retail, mortgage, agri, and SME offerings. Competes for the same consumer and farm lending book as CSDCU across Limerick and North Kerry, but at materially greater scale.

Direct peers

• People First Credit Union: Irish community credit union with comparable lending, savings, and member dividend model. Comparable scale and product mix to CSDCU; both operate within the Irish League of Credit Unions framework and target similar retail/community segments.
• Synergy Credit Union: One of Ireland's largest credit unions formed via multiple mergers, offering a similar community-based lending, savings, and current account proposition. Closest direct peer by business model (member-owned cooperative), product breadth, and digital platform approach.
• Credit Union Plus (CUP): Irish credit union group formed via merger, offering a comparable diversified lending and deposit proposition under the same cooperative, Central Bank–regulated framework. A direct structural peer to CSDCU in scale, product mix, and digital strategy.
• St Raphael's Credit Union: Regional Irish credit union offering personal loans, mortgages, savings, and current accounts with a member-owned cooperative structure. Directly comparable on product mix, member dividend model, and digital banking rollout.

Emerging players

• Revolut Ireland: Digital-first challenger bank rapidly gaining Irish consumers with current accounts, payments, and increasingly lending products. Targets the same digitally native members — particularly younger borrowers and savers — that CSDCU needs to retain within its common bond.

Regional players

• An Post Credit Union: Credit union linked to An Post employees but expanding common bond membership; offers a comparable suite of personal loans, savings, and current account products. Comparable as another Irish credit union growing via common-bond expansion.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/csdcu
• TikToktiktok.com/@csd_cu
• Xx.com/coissionnadcu
• Facebookfacebook.com/coissionnadcu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cois-sionna-credit-union-ltd

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union