I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 27 and 37 together.
The waiting periods for legal aid applications in each of the 24 centres of the Legal Aid Board as of 31 March 1995 are set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. In 13 centres the waiting time was one month or less, in two centres the time was two months, in four centres the time was between three and four months, in three centres the time was between five months and seven months; and in two centres the time was between nine and ten months. When in 1993 I first took over as Minister with responsibilities in relation to legal aid the waiting period in half of the board's centres was between one month and seven months and in the remainder it ranged from eight months up to 14 months.
I am continuing to ensure that the board has the resources to expand and develop its services consistent with its need to provide legal aid and advice as widely and as quickly as possible throughout the country. The extra resources over the past two years, 1993 and 1994, led to an increase in the number of full-time centres from 16 to 24. Staff numbers in the same period more than doubled. This inevitably led to dramatic reductions in waiting lists and significantly improved access to justice. These matters continue to be subject to review and where waiting lists, for whatever reason, are unacceptable they will be addressed by the board in consultation as necessary with my Department. Staffing levels in the board are now unprecedented and I am confident that the board will use those resources to the optimum extent possible to ensure that all centres can deliver a good and efficient service.
The board has special procedures in place to ensure that in certain cases, such as where the protection of a person from domestic violence is concerned, there is no delay in handling such cases. To reduce the waiting lists which existed at the beginning of 1993 due to lack of resources the board availed of private solicitors under a pilot project established for the purpose. That scheme is now under review by the board following the submission to it of a report by a special committee on the matter.
The extra funding which I have secured for the board will enable full-time law centres to be opened this year in the counties of Clare, Wexford, Meath, Cavan, Kildare and Offaly. The location of the centres in those counties will be announced in due course when the necessary arrangements are established by the board. The opening of these new law centres should help to reduce waiting lists in the surroundings areas. They will most certainly improve access to justice by reducing the need for persons to travel long distances to a centre.
Law Centre waiting times as at 31 March, 1995
Law Centre
|
Waiting Time
|
Athlone
|
1 month
|
Castlebar
|
under 1 month
|
Cork Area:
|
|
North Mall
|
4 months
|
South Mall
|
2 months
|
Dublin Area:
|
|
Ormond Quay
|
under 1 month
|
Gardiner Street
|
3 months
|
Mount Street
|
1 month
|
Finglas
|
under 1 month
|
Tallaght
|
1 month
|
Clondalkin
|
under 1 month
|
Blanchardstown
|
6 months
|
Dundalk
|
10 months
|
Galway
|
under 1 month
|
Kilkenny
|
4 months
|
Letterkenny
|
9 months
|
Limerick
|
1 month
|
Longford
|
—
|
Monaghan
|
—
|
Nenagh
|
4 months
|
Portlaoise
|
7 months
|
Sligo
|
5 months
|
Tralee
|
1 month
|
Waterford
|
—
|
Wicklow
|
2 months
|