State ‘must support citizens in debt’

THE GOVERNMENT needs to start providing as much support to the ordinary man or woman who is in debt as it does to big business, the director general of the country’s free legal aid centres (FLAC) has warned.

FLAC director general Noeline Blackwell said legislation around personal indebtedness is “absolutely antiquated” and the country’s lenders have to become more accountable for their “irresponsible lending”.

It was announced yesterday that the Government is to appoint 19 new advisers to the state’s money advice agency, Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) as it is overwhelmed by the numbers seeking help since the economy stalled. This year alone, the service has had 10,000 new clients with an average debt of €15,000.