Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Deputy Willie O'Dea on bringing froward the motion. The only problem with motions that have been brought forward in the Dáil in recent years, and on which we have voted, is that, sadly, nothing seems to happen on foot of them. I hope this one will be different, but I have my fears about it.

MABS provides a local service in the towns in which they are located around the country. A price could not be put on the value of the services they provide for local people, be it for a person who is experiencing a small degree or a large degree of financial difficulty. Deputies, regardless of whether they are a member of a party, are contacted by people who are in danger of losing their homes and they liaise with MABS and the bank. The engagement is at local level. People have faith in the system that is in place and that is why they go to MABS in large numbers. When 25,000 to 30,000 people are in danger of losing their homes, it is not a great time to tinker with the system and try to restructure it. I always say that if something is not broken, why try to fix it?

The Minister should bear in mind that people who are involved in MABS are not against anything. They are willing to sit down, engage in consultation and work with anybody. That needs to be done. To be blunt, the brakes need to be put on in the Minister's Department straightaway. We need to go back to basics and look at where the Minister is going on this issue. He should have consultation on it and work with people because there is a terrible fear, and it might be worthwhile being clear about this. We are a mighty country for putting in more new structures that cost a great deal of additional money, and we seem to love doing that, when something is going fairly well. In every county and, in some cases, in a few places in a county, there are people in MABS offices who are helping people day in, day out.

I remember at the time of the Government talks, and the Minister should recall this, when we discussed all the people who were in trouble with their mortgages and trying to bring in legislation to stop vulture funds or banks taking houses from under people through having a type of one-stop-shop scenario. MABS was one of the bodies spoken about in that regard and it would be central to all of that. Others were mentioned but MABS was one of them.

I heard the Minister for Justice and Equality talk about the Abhaile scheme some weeks ago. There is no harm done yet. The Minister should stall this by an extra month, or two or three. That would not do any harm, because he needs to get it right. I ask him not to go down this road of what was a brain wave of someone in the Department that will cost us more money in the coming years.

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