Vol. 432 No. 6
180 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he will make a statement on the scheme of free legal aid available to people in County Laois, with particular reference to the opening of the law centre which has been closed for some time.
I have already indicated in replying to a parliamentary question on 28 April 1993 that the grant-in-aid to the Legal Aid Board for 1993 was increased by £100,000 and that this additional sum would be used to reduce the length of waiting lists in existing centres. The 1993 allocation is not, however, sufficient to allow for the recruitment of additional solicitors or for the opening of other law centres.
The position continues to be, therefore, that the resources of the Legal Aid Board are not sufficient at present to enable it to open a law centre in County Laois. It is, of course, open to any person living in County Laois, who wishes to avail of the services of the board, to apply to any of the board's law centres for legal aid and advice.
The question of further expansion of the scheme depends on the availability of public financial resources and in that context I am endeavouring to achieve the best possible improvement in services under the scheme.
