Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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I support this amendment. Following the 2012 Act there was an opportunity for MABS to link in with the Lough payment scheme to help the people who were most vulnerable. Approximately 400 people were on the list at the time. I raised the matter with the Minister in April this year, as did several other Deputies. The idea was not only to help them to pay debts but also to assist in the purchase of caravans or in getting across to England for funerals. Loans were given to people and they worked with the group to pay them back. It was a detrimental step by the Department of Social Protection to cut the link and remove the ability of MABS to provide the service to certain people who were not linked into banks or to the technology that we are linked into. Many of the people in question may be illiterate, and they need support services in that area as well.

I fully support the amendment. If the Tánaiste cannot accept it now, will she set out what she can do in future or what she plans to do in a constructive way to allow MABS and the Lough payment scheme to facilitate people who need this low-key, short-term access to moneys? Another consequence of the scheme is that it helps people to save in the longer term.