department of social and family affairs annual report 2006 - Welfare.ie

• An emphasis on practical, budget based
measures.
• An approach that targets families identified as
having problems with debt and money-lending.
• A prominent role for local statutory agencies.
• The scheme includes a general money advice
element for the local community.
• A co‐ordinated scheme allowing for the sharing
of experiences and information to combat
money-lending.
A management committee drawn from local
voluntary and statutory services and community
groups runs each local project. Local MABS
operate as partnerships of all relevant agencies.
The service is funded by the Department and in
2006, €16.4 million was provided to fund the
service representing an increase of 20% on the
previous year.
> Proposals to establish the Money
Advice and Budgeting Service on a
statutory basis
New proposals for legislation are being developed
to establish MABS on a statutory basis. The
proposals would involve a continuation of local
voluntary involvement with strong national
leadership to ensure a high quality and
coordinated budgeting and advice service for the
future, in particular for people on low incomes.
Centres, the Residential Redress Board, The Irish
Bankers Federation and the Financial Regulator
continued to identify and address the issues
that give rise to problems of over-indebtedness
for people on low incomes and to understand
the barriers they face in accessing mainstream
financial services and cheap forms of credit
which adds to the difficulties people encounter in
managing their finances.
> Number of Clients
In 2006 a total of 12,365 new clients have
approached MABS. The majority of these clients
were aged between 26-40 years and they were
single or single with children. Just over 50% of
people were in receipt of a social welfare payment
and a further 30% were in work. 70% of clients
had no second income coming into the household.
The active caseload at the end of the year
comprised 14,609 with a further 11,660 clients
discharged over the course of the year.
The total amount owed by the new clients to
creditors, based on what their debt was when
they first approached the service, so far this year
amounts to €79 million.
> Co-operation with partner
organisations
goal 5: poverty, social inclusion and families
Many voluntary and statutory bodies such as the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Community
Welfare Service, Citizens’ Information Centres,
Centres for the Unemployed and local authorities
work closely with the programme. The credit
union movement has been a key partner in MABS
since its inception and their involvement and
support is central to the development and success
of the service.
During 2006, co-operation with these and other
organisations such as the Free Legal Advice
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