Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2016
62. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the timeframe and the means by which he will implement the programme for Government commitment to establish a new national service to standardise the supports available to borrowers in mortgage arrears, with powers and resources needed to advise, assess, negotiate and recommend solutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21659/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will know, the commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (PfPG) are under active consideration by the Government as part of the Government's housing strategy and work is well advanced on the development of a Housing Action Plan which will be published by my colleague, the Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government, shortly.
The PfPG commitment in respect of the introduction of a new national service to standardise supports available to borrowers in mortgage arrears is made in the context of building on recent reforms to insolvency and bankruptcy and the supports provided by the Money Advice & Budgeting Service (MABS). As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for insolvency and bankruptcy legislation lies with my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and MABS comes under the remit of the Minister for Social Protection. I understand that details about the new national service will be advanced in the near future.
