Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 14 seeks to increase from €60 or less to €150 or less the amount of disposable income which a person may have at the end of the month in order to qualify for a debt relief notice. The amount involved is very small. We are now getting into the arbitrary debate around what level one should set a monetary amount. However, €60 is very little. As I stated on Committee Stage, the price of petrol is continually rising and the cost of many other commodities which would be regarded as daily or weekly necessities are also rising. The €60 amount provided for in the Bill is very low. I believe the Minister should give serious consideration to increasing the amount to €150.

From where did the wisdom to set the level at €60 come? Are we looking up the road again to Northern Ireland or did it come from the Money Advice and Budgetary Service, MABS? Does the Minister not believe we should be a little more charitable to people in this instance?

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