Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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677. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the following information from each Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, office across the State; the numbers of persons availing of the service at that office in 2007 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013, and the staff numbers in each office for 2007 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013. [38293/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments.

In 2013, the Citizens Information Board has been allocated a budget of approximately €47.5 million of which some €19 million has been assigned to MABS. In 2012 the corresponding allocation was €46.8 million and €18.3million respectively.

The Money Advice and Budgeting Service is made up of a network of 53 companies which includes 51 local companies, MABS National Development Limited and National Traveller MABS. There are 277 money advice staff employed nationwide by the individual MABS companies. In 2013, an 16 additional temporary staff have been assigned to MABS for the establishment of the Approved Intermediary Service for the purpose of processing Debt Relief Notices as part of the new Insolvency Service of Ireland.

The table below shows the number of persons availing of services at the local MABS offices together with the staff numbers in each of the offices from 2007 – 2013.