Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Taoiseach is aware, the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, does tremendous work. It has 51 offices around the country. The Citizens Information Board has proposed that MABS be regionalised into eight structures with managers in charge of each. To date, management of MABS has been done voluntarily by local committees and its services have been free of charge. It does a great deal for people. Some 80% of the €18 million that it gets annually is spent on the front-line staff delivering its services while the remaining 20% has been spent on office expenses and rent. This model works well, but the proposed changes will decimate the service. I do not expect the Taoiseach to be able to intervene directly, but could we ensure that this proposal is postponed until there has been a review and cost-benefit analysis? As far as I can see, it is just another effort to place a further layer of management on top of MABS, not to deliver the services being provided to date.

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