The Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation (IMHO) has been appointed as the personal insolvency practitioner (PIP) for Dublin by StepChange, the debt advisory service.

IMHO executive Stephen Curtis, a registered PIP, has been appointed by StepChange to this role, with the not-for-profit agency being one of six on a panel operated by the UK-based debt charity.

This comes as the Government prepares to announce the details of a voucher system that will allow those in mortgage arrears to access the services of a PIP free of charge.

A similar system will be applied for those in repossession proceeding to allow them have free access to legal advice from a panel of solicitors.

Support scheme

The system will be worth about€500 per person and form part of a €1.5 million scheme of supports from the State designed to encourage those in arrears to engage with their lenders and to assist insolvent borrowers.

The scheme is co-ordinated by the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Social Protection and is expected to be formally launched today.

Commenting on the IMHO's appointment by StepChange, its chief executive David Hall said: "This means StepChange will refer those who need a meeting with a PIP and possibly need a debt-settlement arrangement or a personal insolvency arrangement. This partnership approach is very welcome where there is a common aim to help debtors."

StepChange launched in Ireland in September last year after securing €6 million in funding from five retail banks here. It currently has 1,500 active clients around the country.

StepChange has appointed a panel of six PIPs to cover different parts of the country.

These are the IMHO, accounting firm Grant Thornton, the Debt Clinic in Longford, Marketing House Insolvency Services in Donegal, Cork-based Alan McGee and R Hendy & Co in Wexford.