2,000 people on waiting list for financial advice

UP to 2,000 cash-strapped people are on waiting lists for face-to-face appointments for a free government-funded debt service, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS).

A large percentage of those are waiting for more than a month for assistance after the numbers seeking help from MABS jumped by 37% from 2007 to 2008.

In 2008, more than 16,600 clients approached MABS for help with debt difficulties, while the telephone helpline dealt with almost 11,000 callers.

Latest figures show that by the end of October 2009, 16,300 clients had been seen by the organisation.

Fine Gael’s Denis Naughton warned that MABS is oversubscribed and underfunded and called on the Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin to release figures as to how many people were waiting to see an adviser in certain areas.

“The minister said it takes four-and-a-half weeks on average to get an appointment for a non-urgent case. If this is the average, it means that some people are waiting a substantial period of time in some centres to avail of the services.”

Labour’s spokeswoman on Social and Family Affairs Roisin Shortall said she was concerned as MABS was “ill-equipped” to deal with the serious financial difficulties with which people are now presenting

“MABS was established with a completely different brief from the demands placed on it now. It was set up to help people better manage their money in circumstances where they might have run up rent arrears or whatever,” she said.

“As the minister said a completely unregulated financial advisory service is being offered and that needs to be regulated. There is need for the minister or the Minister for Finance to introduce a package of measures to assist people who find themselves in danger of losing their homes. That level of expertise is simply not available within the MABS service.”

Ms Hanafin said four-and-a-half weeks was the average nationally and there were fluctuations between offices. During the waiting period, clients are assessed and those in need of immediate assistance are given a priority appointment, others are provided with assisted self-help to ensure that they have taken steps to assess their situation and if appropriate they are supported to take holding action with their creditors.

Ms Hanafin said 19 more staff were being recruited, which will bring the number of staff to 271. Six new staff are already in place and the remainder will be appointed by early December.

lSome 52 independent MABS companies operate local MABS services from 65 locations throughout the country. The MABS national telephone line is available from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. Its website can be accessed 24 hours a day at www.mabs.ie.