Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the full role and responsibilities of the Citizens Information Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38541/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons employed at the Citizens Information Board for the following years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38542/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the budget available to the Citizens Information Board for the following years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38543/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the premises out of which the Citizens Information Board operates; the total number of locations; the cost of these premises' rent or other on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38544/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 to 417, inclusive, together.

The Citizens Information Board is the national agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on social services to the public and for the provision of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, the national free, independent and confidential service for people in debt, in danger of getting into debt or who have money management problems. Under the Citizens Information Act 2007 the Citizens Information Board also has a mandate to provide advocacy targeted at people with disabilities. Furthermore, under the Comhairle Act 2000 the Board has a remit to support, promote and develop the provision of information on the effectiveness of current social policy and services and to highlight issues which are of concern to users of those services.

Services are made available to the public through websites such as www.citizensinformation.ie, the Citizens Information Phone Service and the network of Citizens Information Services and MABS companies. The CIB was established in 2007, in line with the Citizens information Act 2007, having previously been known as Comhairle. The average number of whole time equivalents employed per year for the period 2005 – 2010 was:

Expenditure for the period 2005 – 2010 is a follows:

Responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) transferred to the CIB in July 2009 and expenditure for MABS amounted to €17.041m in 2009. The allocation to CIB in 2010 includes funding for the delivery of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service.

The head office of the Citizens Information Board is located at George's Quay House, 43 Townsend St, Dublin 2. As well as their head office, CIB leases 13 additional offices at locations in Sligo, Galway, Castlebar, Mullingar, Dundalk, Limerick, Cavan, Waterford, Tallaght and Kilkenny. The CIB also owns 5 properties at locations in Dublin, Cork, Letterkenny, Tralee and Sligo. In 2010 the estimated expenditure on rent, rates and service charges in respect of these properties is in the order of €1.285 million. I am satisfied that the Citizens Information Board is managing its resources effectively and discharging its duties in relation to the provision of information, advice and advocacy services, and social policy work as remitted on behalf of the Department.