Earlier this year, Deputies voted by a margin of 80 to 51 not to regionalise the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, and Citizens Information Board. However, the policy of regionalisation is proceeding against the will of the House and despite a direction from Deputies not to do so. The first port of call for those who lose their home or get into financial trouble is to contact their local MABS or Citizens Information Board office. Members of these organisations do wonderful work for all those who contact them. Why is the policy of regionalising these offices still being pursued? It is another attack on rural Ireland. Given that local offices are doing wonderful work, why is the system being dismantled, which is upsetting those who are doing wonderful work for all those people in trouble who contact them?

I understand the decision was made by the Citizens Information Board and is not one for the Minister or House. I reassure the Deputy, however, that there are no plans to close any of the local Citizens Information Board centres or MABS offices. What is happening is the regionalisation of the board structures for reasons of good corporate governance. However, the local MABS offices and Citizens Information Board centres will remain open.