Michael Ferris
Question:100 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average waiting time in each of the legal aid centres in respect of applications for divorce. [17083/97]
Written Answers. - Legal Aid Services.
Prior to the introduction of divorce in February 1997, a separate list of persons seeking legal aid services for divorce was maintained by the Legal Aid Board. On 27 February 1997 that list was amalgamated with the then current waiting lists at each of the board's law centres and all applications for legal aid for divorce received subsequent to that date were placed on a single waiting list in each centre. This led to an increase of 68 per cent, i.e., 1,018 persons, in the number of applicants waiting for an appointment with a Legal Aid Board solicitor. With the amalgamation of the waiting lists separate records of persons seeking divorce no longer exist neither does the Legal Aid Board maintain its records in such a manner as would facilitate the extrapolation of the information in the form required by the Deputy and it would take a disproportionate amount of work and staff time to make it available. The information which I have set out in tabular statements which I propose to circulate in the Official Report on applications made to the Legal Aid Board for legal aid in relation to divorce may, however, be of assistance to the Deputy. These give the waiting times for legal aid applications in each of the 30 full-time law centres of the Legal Aid Board as at 30 September 1997 together with the number of persons at those law centres awaiting Legal Aid Board services in relation to divorce.
Waiting times are continually reviewed by the board and where waiting times, for whatever reason, become excessive the position is examined by the board and appropriate remedial action is taken.
Table 1
Law Centre waiting times as at 30 September 1997
|
Law Centre |
Waiting Time (in months) |
|
Athlone |
5.5 |
|
Castlebar |
0.5 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
|
Popes Quay |
7.5 |
|
South Mall |
8.5 |
|
Blanchardstown |
5 |
|
Clondalkin |
8 |
|
Finglas |
4 |
|
Gardiner Street |
7 |
|
Mount Street |
7 |
|
Ormond Quay |
5 |
|
Tallaght |
7 |
|
Dundalk |
2 |
|
Ennis |
3.5 |
|
Galway |
7 |
|
Kilkenny |
0.5 |
|
Letterkenny |
1 |
|
Limerick |
4 |
|
Longford |
1.5 |
|
Monaghan |
3.5 |
|
Navan |
0 |
|
Nenagh |
3.5 |
|
Newbridge |
8 |
|
Portlaoise |
3 |
|
Sligo |
7.5 |
|
Tralee |
3 |
|
Tullamore |
11.5 |
|
Waterford |
0.5 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
11 |
Table 2
The number of persons at full-time law centres awaiting Legal Aid Board services in relation to divorce September 1997
|
Law Centre |
Number of Cases |
|
Athlone |
15 |
|
Castlebar |
3 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
|
Popes Quay |
121 |
|
South Mall |
72 |
|
Blanchardstown |
20 |
|
Clondalkin |
85 |
|
Finglas |
9 |
|
Gardiner Street |
19 |
|
Mount Street |
60 |
|
Ormond Quay |
52 |
|
Tallaght |
84 |
|
Dundalk |
16 |
|
Ennis |
14 |
|
Galway |
64 |
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
Letterkenny |
4 |
|
Limerick |
43 |
|
Longford |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
7 |
|
Navan |
0 |
|
Nenagh |
3 |
|
Newbridge |
52 |
|
Portlaoise |
2 |
|
Sligo |
26 |
|
Tralee |
8 |
|
Tullamore |
33 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
|
Wexford |
9 |
|
Wicklow |
62 |
|
Total |
891 |