INISHOWEN Senator
Cecilia Keaveney has urged cash-strapped families to
get budgetary advice before the pressures of
Christmas start to bite.
Senator Keaveney was responding after Social and
Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin confirmed that
welfare recipients would receive their full
Christmas bonuses this year despite budget cutbacks.
She echoed calls by Ms Hanafin for people to get
budget advice before the festive season, rather than
face a financial crisis in the New Year.
"Christmas is an expensive season and often it is
not until after Christmas that families realise that
they are in serious debt. They are then extremely
vulnerable," said Senator Keaveney.
"The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is
located locally so that this fundamental help is
available to families. The goal is to assist
families to work within their budgets so that
opportunities are maximised while the risk of
running up debt is minimised.
"Avoiding financial pitfalls is not easy. It is
therefore important to say that there is help
available," she added. |
