Vol. 488 No. 3
101 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the policy within legal aid centres around Dublin city for dealing with bona fide queries from public representatives on behalf of people, in view of the difficulties being experienced in obtaining information from these centres. [6050/98]
I am advised by the Legal Aid Board that board policy in relation to inquiries received from public representatives is that law centres are expected to reply to all such queries in a courteous and expeditious manner. However, due to the requirement to maintain solicitor-client confidentiality, it is not possible for a law centre to provide any third party with information on the progress of a legal aid application or on any aspect of a case with which the board is concerned unless such a request is accompanied by a specific written instruction on the part of the board's client, to whom the request refers, to furnish the applicant with the information requested. In such circumstances, the board may furnish such information in the matter consistent with its obligations to the parties to the action.
