Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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99. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons MABS has forwarded to the Phoenix project Ireland for personal or business insolvency advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32451/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 or living on social welfare payments.

MABS does not maintain data on outward referrals to named organisations, such as the Phoenix Project, if they occur.

MABS provides services itself to those in mortgage arrears free of charge. The role of MABS was expanded last year with the establishment of a Dedicated Mortgage Arrears MABS (DMA MABS) service across the MABS network to help those specifically with mortgage debt. There are now 30 specialist DMA advisors working across 25 locations countrywide, assisting borrowers to assess the options available to them and, where required, negotiating with lenders on their behalf. To date almost 2,400 people have availed of the DMA MABS service.

MABS has also established a national network of court mentors to attend each listed repossession Court hearing nationwide, to provide support to distressed borrowers who are facing loss of their home, and signposting them to appropriate services.

More recently, the Government has put in place a scheme called Abhaile to assist people who are insolvent and in mortgage arrears on their home to access independent expert financial and/or legal advice and assistance free of charge. This scheme is designed to help them find the best possible solutions, with the priority being to support families to remain in their own homes. MABS acts as the gateway for a person to access the appropriate professional advice under the scheme and operates a voucher system to facilitate that. The scheme has been in operation since 22 July 2016 and almost 2,000 vouchers have been issued to date.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.