6 week waiting list for MABS is unacceptable

Socialist Party councillor Mick Barry this morning warned that the lengthy wait times for appointments with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is playing into the hands of unscrupulous moneylenders in the runup to Christmas.
There are currently 2000 people on MABS waiting lists with an average national wait time of 5 weeks for an appointment and an average wait time in Cork of 6 weeks.
Cllr Barry said: “Unscrupulous moneylenders took advantage of the Government decision to abolish the Christmas bonus payment last year to increase their trade. Now, as the run-in to Christmas begins in earnest, the huge waiting lists for appointments with MABS will once again facilitate these outfits. According to the latest figures a Cork family experiencing financial difficulties in the run up to Christmas contacting MABS this week would not even get an appointment until mid-December. This is shameful. It is not the fault of MABS, who do an excellent job in difficult circumstances – it is the fault of a Government who simply don’t give a damn about families and individuals who are struggling to survive.”