Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the waiting list to access the Money Advice and Budgeting Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40611/09]

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the waiting times to access the Money Advice and Budgeting Service money advisers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40655/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 90 together.

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, is the main Government-funded service that assists those who are overly indebted and need help and advice to cope with their debt problems. The role of money advisers is to help clients to assess their financial situations, make budget plans and deal with their creditors. MABS is dealing with increasingly complex debt situations in respect of clients who are presenting with multiple creditors and debts. It is important for people who are coping with debt difficulties to take early action and to approach MABS for help and guidance. This can be the first positive step for people in addressing debt difficulties. Some 52 independent MABS companies operate local MABS services from 65 locations throughout the country, with national support provided by MABS National Development Limited. The MABS national telephone line is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday. The MABS website can be accessed 24 hours a day at www.mabs.ie. In 2008, more than 16,600 clients approached the MABS for assistance with debt difficulties and the telephone helpline dealt with almost 11,000 callers. By the end of October 2009, some 16,300 clients had been seen by MABS staff to date this year. The MABS helpline had received some 20,800 calls in the same period. Funding of €18 million has been provided to enable MABS to deliver its services in 2009. An additional 19 staff are being recruited, which will bring the number of MABS staff to 271. Six new staff are already in place and the remainder will be appointed by early December.

The capacity of the LoCall telephone helpline has also been strengthened and MABS NDL, the national support company, has introduced a number of community education initiatives. For example, one initiative involves a money management education programme for people facing redundancy to inform them about managing on a reduced income and how to avoid getting into debt.

All MABS companies operate an appointment system for clients. Clients with urgent difficulties are prioritised for attention and are dealt with promptly. Less urgent cases are referred to the MABS helpline and to the MABS website in the first instance. More than 90% of callers to the helpline find that their money management and budgeting issues can be resolved with the assistance of the helpline advisor. Some 10% of callers are referred to the local MABS for assistance.

From first point of contact to first appointment with a money advisor the average waiting time is currently 4.5 weeks. This is the average nationally and there are fluctuations between offices. During the waiting period, clients are assessed and those in need of immediate assistance are given a priority appointment, others are provided with assisted self-help to ensure that they have taken steps to assess their situation and if appropriate they are supported to take holding action with their creditors.

I am satisfied that MABS provides a high quality personal money advice and budgeting service to members of the public who may have difficulty in coping with the burden of indebtedness and the additional resources provided will assist them meet the demand for their services.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Minister said it takes four and a half weeks on average to get an appointment for a non-urgent case. If this is the average it means that some people are waiting a substantial period of time in some centres to avail of the services. What is the longest waiting time? How many people are waiting for such periods to access MABS? I am being told that MABS is oversubscribed and underfunded. Of the 19 advisers mentioned by the Minister, only five will be full-time advisers with the others providing their services on a part-time basis. Does the Minister believe it is acceptable for cash-strapped families to be faced with a bill of up to €3,000 to pay private debt advisers to provide them with a service that should be provided by MABS if the resources were made available?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's last point is important. Some people are advertising that they are debt collectors, but are giving the impression that they are almost doing it as a community service and that they are working closely with MABS. We are concerned about this and that is why we are ensuring that information on the MABS website and telephone line is well advertised. The service provided by MABS is free and confidential. It has trained money advisers who are able to negotiate on a person's behalf with the financial institutions. That is an important message to get across.

Of the 19 new posts that were sanctioned, seven are full-time and 12 are part-time. We broke it down that way in order to ensure a spread around the country, recognising that some offices are under more pressure than others are. Advisers have already been appointed to the offices in Galway south, Fingal, Tallaght, Waterford, Bray and Cork west. The rest should all be in place by the first week in December.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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What about the waiting time?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the average number on a waiting list is 31. I believe the Deputy asked for the longest waiting time. I do not have that specific information.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minister to furnish the figures to me.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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It would be helpful for the Minister to commit to publishing the waiting times on a quarterly basis so that people might know which office to approach. MABS was established with a completely different brief from the demands placed on it now. It was set up to help people better manage their money in circumstances where they might have run up rent arrears or whatever. In many cases MABS is ill-equipped to deal with the serious financial difficulties with which people are now presenting. As the Minister said a completely unregulated financial advisory service is being offered and that needs to be regulated. There is need for the Minister or the Minister for Finance to introduce a package of measures to assist people who find themselves in danger of losing their homes. That level of expertise is simply not available within the MABS service.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In fairness the only issues MABS will not deal with are commercial difficulties. MABS advisers are finding that the people coming into them have a very complex range of personal difficulties, some of which may indeed be tied up with commercial entities. However, as far as possible they are able to deal with them very successfully. The renewed programme for Government contains a specific commitment to regulating debt collectors and also dealing with all aspects of helping people to counteract debt. In that regard I welcome the decision by the Irish Banking Federation about mortgages and extending the time for people. The MABS protocol with the Irish Banking Federation is working very successfully. These are the initiatives that are been taken. We are working not only with the Department of Finance, but also with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on issues relating to debt to come up with a package to support people in difficult circumstances.