Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2018
591. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the restructuring of MABS; the rationale for this restructuring; the number of redundancies that will arise from this restructuring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4144/18]
View answer592. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the way in which money advice and budgeting information will be provided locally around the country with localised MABS services; the measures she is introducing to ensure there is a continuity of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4145/18]
View answer593. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the remit of the Citizens Information Board has been changed to include the management of eight regional MABS companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4146/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 591 to 593, inclusive, together.
The Citizens Information Board (CIB) has statutory responsibility for the Citizens Information Services (CIS) and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) national networks. In November 2014 the Board of the Citizens Information Board decided to restructure the governance arrangements of local CIS and MABS services. In October 2016, the Board decided that the new structure should be regionally based and in February 2017 the Board of CIB adopted a recommendation that the current structure of ninety three individual local companies would be replaced by sixteen new regional companies, comprising eight CIS and eight MABS boards.
The changes are being made at local company board level only. The new regional companies are being set up as voluntary bodies, with their own governing Boards of Directors, in line with best governance practice. CIB under its existing remit is empowered to provide funding to the new regional companies.
The valuable work carried out by those employed by CIS and MABS services and those who volunteer in CIS cervices countrywide will continue as heretofore. The staff and boards of individual local CIS and MABS companies have been assured by CIB that there will be no change to the terms and conditions of staff, no job losses for those working in the services, no diminution of existing services, no closures of service delivery points and, crucially, no disruption to services for those who use them.
CIB has taken this operational decision following years of analysis of options and a detailed consultation period with all stakeholders on the need for a more streamlined governance model. The aim of the change is to improve the effectiveness of the control environment, financial management and governance of the CIS and MABS networks, which are 100% State-funded. The change is also about consolidating managerial and administrative efforts, focussing on front line service delivery to citizens, improving the consistency and quality of service delivery and, where possible, extending services for those who rely on them.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
