The amount of “chatter” regarding a possible solution to the collapse of the Presbyterian Mutual Society in Northern Ireland (NI) has increased dramatically in the last few days and there are signs that an announcement could be just days away.

For more details on this continuing saga you should check out a previous post, but since last Spring and the Special Assembly meeting to consider the situation the biggest relevant development has probably been the change in the British Government.  In fact, in a post last week the Rev. Stafford Carson, the former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland who has been staying close to the situation, talks about the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and his comment “the new government is very mindful of the need to resolve the serious
hardship faced by members of the Presbyterian Mutual Society.”  Now in the past couple of days there have been very positive signs of a resolution.  While details are not known, Rev. Carson says

The Ministerial Working Group charged with resolving the PMS crisis met yesterday and the Secretary of State said that significant progress was made.

The Northern Ireland Members at Westminster continued to exert pressure at PMQs in the House today. It seems as though everyone is working towards an announcement being made next week. Could it be that the end is near for this long-running saga? We have had a number of false dawns before, and we hope and pray that a “just and fair resolution” will be forthcoming next week.

In addition to Rev. Carson this has been picked up by the NI media including the BBC, Belfast Newsletter, and the Irish Times.  But there are concerns about whether this will be a full rescue of savers or only partial restoration of their deposits, a sentiment expressed by an article from 4NI.

So we will have to wait for details to see how the promise and prospect of a “just and fair resolution” plays out.  But if nothing else, this is some of the best news that the savers have had since this two-year old saga began.  As usual, stay tuned…