Vol. 407 No. 8
21 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice whether he or officials of his Department have had discussions with the Coolock Community Law Centre regarding (1) the shortfall in their funding from the Combat Poverty Agency to meet their expenses and (2) the long term basis on which a law centre such as this should be funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
63 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Justice if he will meet with Coolock Community Law Centre, Dublin 17, in response to their submission of joint funding by his Department of the centre.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 63 together.
Following a request from the Coolock Community Law Centre I arranged for a meeting to take place between officials of my Department and representatives of the centre. That meeting was held late last year and among the issues discussed were those raised by the Deputies in the questions. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by a further meeting.
I am afraid that the limited financial resources available to me for civil legal aid must go in their entirety to the State's own scheme. I indicated that this was the position during the course of replies to a question on 6 March 1991, Official Report, Volume 406; column 81.
