Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 545: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount the Money Advice and Budgeting Service has cost every year since its creation; the number of callers it receives on a monthly basis; the number of staff exclusively employed for this service; if it uses an agency, temporary or consultancy staff; and if there are plans to expand this service in view of recent economic difficulties here. [27204/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 53 independent MABS companies with voluntary boards of management operating the service nation-wide. The MABS companies directly employ over 240 staff to provide the service. From time to time, temporary staff are employed by individual companies, using local recruitment arrangements, to cover staff absences such as maternity leave or long term illness.

The software application (MABSIS) developed to gather information throughout the MABS network was rolled out to all MABS companies during 2005/2006. The first full year statistics available from the MABSIS show that, in 2007, the MABS provided services to some 12,500 new clients and approximately 2,600 people sought information about budgeting and money management. This year, up to the end of June, a total of 8,115 new clients have approached the MABS. In addition the MABS National Telephone Helpline has, since its launch in October 2007, dealt with over 6,300 calls.

In 2007 €17.67 million was provided to fund the service and in 2008, almost €18 million has been provided to assist the MABS in dealing with its work load.

The following Table details the amount of funding allocated to MABS in each year since 1992.