asked the Minister for Justice the allocation made to free legal aid centres in the 1973 budget; if it has been paid; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Legal Aid.
8.
The grant which it is proposed should be paid to the free legal advice centres is £5,000. This sum will be paid as soon as the Supplementary Estimate for the Office of the Minister for Justice, which is at present before the House, has been approved.
Can the Minister state when the intention to pay out this sum was first made? How long is it since the announcement was made?
I understand it was made subsequent to the budget. The sum of which it forms part was mentioned specifically in the Financial Statement as money that would be allocated as a first step towards the implementation by the Ministers concerned of the various proposals in relation to deprived children. It was decided that portion of this sum—the total sum was £200,000—would be made available to FLAC. I understand that, as a matter of financial procedure to ensure that the money will be spent properly and correctly, it is necessary to have a Supplementary Estimate passed by the Dáil before payment will be made.
Would it be fair to say that it was almost a year ago since it was announced that it was intended to pay this sum to this group and is it the intention of the Minister to pay the interest since accrued on this amount?
If the Deputy knows as well as I do that it is almost a year since this was announced, he must know equally well that it is important that moneys voted by this House are paid in such a way that they can be subsequently traced and that the payments have the full validity of the House behind them. I do not want to recall to the Deputy's mind a rather notorious incident where that procedure was not properly followed in the past.
If the £5,000 granted in last year's budget is not payable in this financial year, would the Minister be able to say that in the following financial year £10,000 will be granted, £5,000 for the previous year and £5,000 for the current year?
I cannot anticipate what will be in the budget.
Would I be wrong in anticipating that this would be an ongoing grant?
I am not saying whether the Deputy would be right or wrong.
Would the Minister compensate——
We shall have to move on to the next question.
As soon as my Estimate is finished this will be paid.
Perhaps I am not making myself clear. The people involved in receiving this money believed they would receive £5,000 for this year. Will they get that plus the normal £5,000 which they would have reason to expect in the next financial year?
The sum which has already been announced will be paid in respect of this financial year and whatever comes in the budget will be for next year.
Is the Minister indicating then that it will be an ongoing grant?
We must pass on to Question No. 9.
The Deputy may take it that I am in favour of this when I have introduced an Estimate to provide for its payment and if it is not supplanted by a scheme of comprehensive legal aid which I hope to introduce, I shall certainly make suitable recommendations to the Department of Finance about the matter.
That is very helpful. We shall look forward to it.