Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, is the main Government-funded service that assists people who are overly indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. It is important for people coping with debt difficulties to take early action and approach MABS for help and guidance. This can be the first positive step for people as they address their debt difficulties. The role of money advisers is to help people to assess their financial situation, make budget plans and deal with creditors. MABS is dealing with increasingly complex debt situations in the cases of clients who are presenting with multiple creditors and debts. The 53 independent MABS companies, which have voluntary boards of management, operate local MABS services in 65 locations throughout the country. The MABS national telephone helpline is available from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. The MABS website can be accessed 24 hours a day. In 2008, more than 16,600 new clients approached MABS for assistance with debt difficulties and the telephone helpline dealt with almost 11,000 callers.

In the first nine months of this year, 14,700 new clients were seen by MABS staff and the helpline received more than 18,000 calls. Funding of almost €18 million has been provided to MABS to deliver its services in 2009. An additional 19 staff are being recruited for MABS, which will bring the money advice staff to more than 270 in 65 locations. This will help local services to manage their increased caseloads. The capacity of the locall telephone helpline has been strengthened. The national support company, MABS NDL, has introduced a number of community education initiatives. One initiative involves a money management education programme, which informs people facing redundancy about managing on a reduced income and avoiding getting into debt. All MABS companies operate an appointment system for meeting clients. Clients with urgent difficulties are prioritised for attention and dealt with promptly. Less urgent cases are referred to the telephone helpline and the MABS website.

More than 90% of callers to the helpline find that their money management and budgeting issues can be resolved with the assistance of the helpline adviser. Some 10% of callers are referred to the local MABS for assistance. Other areas of debt are dealt with by community welfare officers, through the rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement schemes, with which we will deal later. MABS is the main State body that deals with people experiencing indebtedness. I am satisfied that it provides a high quality personal service.

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