Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

We all accept that MABS provides an excellent service. All of us, on a regular basis, refer constituents to it for support and assistance when they get into debt. However, it is not tolerable that the MABS service operates on the basis of 53 separate, independent companies around the country. For a long time, the Government has been promising to introduce legislation. There was a Bill in 2002 but it was scrapped. I am very concerned about what has happened since then because prior to the last general election, the MABS Bill was on the Government's programme of legislation for the autumn session, but it has vanished from the programme. What has happened to that Bill? Why has it not been given the urgency and attention it requires? I ask the Minister to give an assurance that it will be restored to the Government's legislative programme and to set out a very clear timescale for dealing with it. When will the Bill be published and when does the Minister expect it to become law?

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