Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, is a household name throughout the country since it was first founded in Cork more than 25 years ago in response to over-indebtedness and, in particular, to address the reliance by many less well off in our society on moneylenders, both legal and illegal. It was founded on the basis of involving the voluntary and community sector in identifying local issues in their local area and putting in place local solutions. Such was the success of the venture that the then Department of Social Welfare embraced the local voluntary concept, rolling out and funding the model throughout the country.

MABS flourished, grew and gained the respect of creditors, public utilities, financial institutions and the courts. It was an honest broker which could be relied upon to present the raw details, as they were, of a customer’s perilous financial state. Arrangements were agreed with a certain amount of hand-holding leading to light at the end of that dark tunnel of over-indebtedness for people and their families. The MABS objective was to be an honest broker giving independent, free, and confidential advice to those less well off in our society. This attracted many vulnerable people to open up for the very first time and to share their every hidden secret to a MABS staff member, whom they now trusted, not only as a professional but as a friendly ally to lessen the burden they may have carried all alone for many years, fearful of sharing the stigma of debt with anyone else.

As the years passed the level of indebtedness of people and its complexity changed dramatically. However, MABS did not divorce itself from the likes of the unpaid utility bills, the withdrawal of basic services, the unexpected family events or the local authority rent arrears but it also quickly recognised the need to upskill its staff in the new complexities such as mortgage debt, large unsecured debt, the loss of the family home, the recession, which still lingers in many parts of rural Ireland, debt relief notices, alternative repayment arrangements with financial institutions, debt write-downs and write-offs. MABS is to the forefront in delivering on Abhaile, the national approach to mortgage debt. MABS is the engine room which ensures that the arrangements are put in place, that clients in distress can get access to their vouchers for financial and professional advice, that there are constant communications and protocols developed with all the leading mortgage providers. This all happens quietly under the radar delivering the results for us as legislators and for those in fear of losing their homes.

For many years MABS operated under the umbrella of the then Department of Social Welfare, now Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. On many occasions, programmes for Government identified the need to have MABS established as a separate entity allowing it to continue its massive support to national Government and to society in a way that no other body has ever equalled. Sadly, the ideals of various programmes for Government never resulted in the implementation of those promises.

As a stopgap, in 2008 the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act transferred statutory responsibility for MABS to the Citizens Information Board. This, in hindsight, was a mistake. MABS and the Citizens Information Board are not happy bedfellows. While the Citizens Information Board has much to offer in its area of expertise it has nothing to offer to MABS. It is no secret that morale in MABS is at an all-time low. MABS staff throughout the country feel that MABS is no longer the service that can pride itself in what it can achieve.

A few years ago, the Taoiseach, and, indeed, the Minister who has left the Chamber, told this House that they could not, on the advice of the Attorney General, interfere with the Citizens Information Board’s decision to demolish the most successful ever locally-based MABS in favour of a regional model. This was another mistake.

More than €2 million of taxpayers' money has already been spent on the project. The results are there for everyone to see - longer waiting times, no training for staff, and no expertise in the Citizens Information Board to lead and support this vital service. The Minister oversaw this in the face of a damning report by the Oireachtas committee and the wishes of this House, which showed the greatest support ever for a motion to halt the process. I agree with Deputy Curran's comments on that process. We now have the results. What has been delivered against what was promised? The answer to that is absolutely nothing other than despair and disaster.

Tonight the Government has an opportunity to take back control before we lose the real benefits of what MABS has delivered over the years. The Minister has already indicated that she will use whatever force she can in terms of stopping this, including a money message, but I point out it is the Ceann Comahirle who decides about money messages.

I advise the Government to allow this Bill to proceed to Committee Stage and get to a point before it is too late to open up the discussion on what has been achieved with the reorganisation of MABS. It would also allow us an opportunity to listen again to the stakeholders who have indicated a lack of satisfaction with the outcomes. It would allow us learn what has been achieved but also what has been lost. We must call a halt to the reorganisation before it is too late. We need to keep the best of MABS and we will be supporting the Bill on that basis.

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