Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour)

However, the Minister has been less forthcoming with regard to the role MABS can play in debt settlement and personal insolvency arrangements. MABS is anxious that its money advisers would be able to take on the role of personal insolvency practitioner to act as a mediator between the debtor and creditors in these arrangements. By all accounts the Minister is not supportive of this suggestion. The legislation does go into detail as to the qualifications required to be a personal insolvency practitioner but I hope that he will recognise the advantages of using MABS in this area.

Over the years, MABS has built up a great stock-in-trade in reaching agreements between debtors and creditors. The agency has solid relationships with all types of creditors and has earned a reputation for credibility and trustworthiness. If MABS is to be excluded from participating in these important aspects of this legislation, much of this accrued knowledge and experience will go to waste. I would not like to see the Minister legislate for the abandonment of all theexcellent work done by MABS over the years.

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