John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

81. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will issue a policy directive to the Citizens Information Board to ensure that the MABS and Citizens Information Services are retained as they are to avoid any restructuring;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17953/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has statutory responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) and the Citizens Information Services (CIS), decided on 15 February 2017 to restructure the governance arrangements of these services.

As a statutory body, the Board has the sole right to make decisions on its day to day operations as it sees fit. It would not be lawful or appropriate for me, as Minister, to seek to intervene in such a decision, taken by the Board. Furthermore, the Office of the Attorney General has confirmed that Section 9 of the Citizens Information Act, 2007 does not give me such power.

CIB has not taken this operational decision lightly. It follows almost 5 years of extensive analysis of options and a detailed consultation period with all stakeholders on the need for a more streamlined governance model. The new arrangements are being implemented at local company board level only. The valuable work carried out by the employees and volunteers working in CIS services and the employees of MABS services will continue as heretofore.

The decision reduces the number of individual local CIS and MABS company boards from ninety three (93) to sixteen (16). A new regional board structure will be put in place, which will comprise eight (8) CIS boards and eight (8) MABS boards.

The changes will bring the CIS and MABS organisations more into line with modern public service governance guidelines and requirements where significant State funding is involved. The reduced company structure will better assist CIB in the fulfilment of its statutory obligations, its compliance with the Code of Practise for Governance of State Bodies, and implementation of recommendations of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

In 2017, CIB is set to receive State funding of €54 million, of which €15 million is allocated to CIS services (including €13.1 million to the 42 local Citizens Information Services, €1.2 million to Citizens Information Phone services and, the balance, €0.7 million to central and other supports), and €24.6 million is allocated to the network of MABS services (including €15.4 million to the 51 local MABS, €0.3m to National Traveller MABS, €2.0 million to MABS National Development Company, €3.3million to the MABS Dedicated Mortgage Arrears initiative, €3.5 million to the Abhaile service, and the remaining €0.1m to MABS central supports).

As the Deputy may already be aware, the Board of CIB is made up of people who represent people with a sense of community ethos, people with physical and mental disabilities, victims of abuse and those with advocacy needs. It also includes representation of CIS and MABS services.

I am satisfied that the Board of CIB, mindful of the fact that all the activities of CIS and MABS are entirely funded by the Exchequer, would not take a decision that would be detrimental either to the valuable services provided locally by CIS and MABS, or to the staff and volunteers who provide them.

I am confident that the Board of CIB has made what it believes to be the most appropriate decision in the best interest of the citizens of Ireland, whom it serves.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.