Billy Timmins
Question:55 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of free legal aid centres in County Wicklow; the number of staff employed there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11482/98]
Written Answers. - Legal Aid.
Michael Ferris
Question:90 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the waiting lists in each law centre; the waiting list figures for 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11531/98]
Billy Timmins
Question:92 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of clients on the waiting list for free legal aid in County Wicklow; the length of time they can expect to be on this list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11483/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 90 and 92 together.
The Legal Aid Board operates 30 law centres around the country, one of which is located in Wicklow. The Wicklow Law Centre has a staffing complement of two solicitors, one law clerk and two clerical staff.
As the Deputy may be aware this centre, which originally operated as a one solicitor law centre, was subsequently upgraded to a two solicitor office. Unfortunately, however, this did not bring about a permanent reduction in the number of applicants on the waiting list at the law centre. At the end of April 1998 there were 159 people on waiting lists at Wicklow, compared to 126 at the end of October 1997.
Waiting lists and waiting times at each of the 30 full-time law centres as at 30 April 1998, for persons seeking the services of the Legal Aid Board, are set out in the first tabular statement which I propose to have circulated in the Official Report. In three centres the waiting times was one month or less, in four centres the time was between one and two months, in seven centres the time was between two and four months, in three centres the time was between four and six months, in three centres the time was between six and eight months, in one centre the time was between eight and ten months, and in nine centres the time was in excess of ten months. The waiting lists and waiting times at 31 January 1997 and 31 December 1997 are set out in the second tabular statement which I also propose to have circulated in the Official Report.
The Legal Aid Board continuously monitors demand in all law centres and, where appropriate, prioritises certain cases which would fall into the family law category. An emergency service (i.e. cases in which applicants are not placed on waiting lists) is provided in cases where there is a real danger of children being taken out of the jurisdiction without the consent of the applicant, and in proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, 1996, proceedings under the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 and for the defence of Child Care proceedings under the Child Care Act, 1991.
Also, I am continually monitoring the position with regard to waiting times at law centres, in consultation with the Legal Aid Board, and I am conscious of the increase in waiting times at many of the board's law centres which has been brought about by the introduction in recent years of additional Family Law legislation including the Domestic Violence Act, 1996 and the Family Law (Divorce) Act, 1996. Where, for whatever reason, the waiting times become excessive the position is examined by the board and, where possible, appropriate remedial action is taken.
Tabular Statement 1 (Waiting times in months/closing numbers on waiting lists in square brackets)
|
Law Centre |
April 1998 |
|
Athlone |
10.5 [136] |
|
Castlebar |
0 [0] |
|
Pope's Quay |
13 [284] |
|
South Mall |
14.5 [442] |
|
Ormond Quay |
3 [109] |
|
Gardiner St. |
7 [197] |
|
Mount St. |
7.5 [195] |
|
Finglas |
2.5 [82] |
|
Tallaght |
13.5 [315] |
|
Clondalkin |
11.5 [298] |
|
Blanchardstown |
8 [193] |
|
Cavan |
2 [14] |
|
Dundalk |
3.5 [40] |
|
Ennis |
4.5 [48] |
|
Galway |
13.5 [357] |
|
Kilkenny |
2 [33] |
|
Letterkenny |
2 [51] |
|
Limerick |
3.5 [78] |
|
Longford |
1.5 [17] |
|
Monaghan |
6 [34] |
|
Navan |
2.5 [34] |
|
Nenagh |
5.5 [29] |
|
Newbridge |
12.5 [263] |
|
Portlaoise |
3 [49] |
|
Sligo |
12.5 [117] |
|
Tralee |
3 [51] |
|
Tullamore |
10 [142] |
|
Waterford |
1 [10] |
|
Wexford |
0.5 [6] |
|
Wicklow |
14 [159] |
Tabular Statement 2 (Waiting times in months/closing numbers on waiting lists in square brackets)
|
Law Centre |
Jan. 1997 |
Dec. 1997 |
|
Athlone |
8 [117] |
6.5 [86] |
|
Castlebar |
0 [0] |
0 [0] |
|
Pope's Quay |
8 [107] |
10 [233] |
|
South Mall |
5 [85] |
11.5 [336] |
|
Ormond Quay |
2 [86] |
5.5 [223] |
|
Gardiner St. |
5 [136] |
5.5 [146] |
|
Mount St. |
9 [156] |
7.5 [155] |
|
Finglas |
3.5 [44] |
2.5 [39] |
|
Tallaght |
2.5 [50] |
10 [305] |
|
Clondalkin |
3 [137] |
10.5 [367] |
|
Blanchardstown |
2 [26] |
8 [156] |
|
Cavan |
2 [13] |
1 [5] |
|
Dundalk |
3 [23] |
3 [23] |
|
Ennis |
2.5 [26] |
4 [47] |
|
Galway |
2.5 [61] |
10 [304] |
|
Kilkenny |
0.5 [12] |
1 [21] |
|
Letterkenny |
2.5 [45] |
1.5 [22] |
|
Limerick |
1.5 [32] |
4.5 [82] |
|
Longford |
1 [9] |
1.5 [9] |
|
Monaghan |
3 [18] |
4 [36] |
|
Navan |
0 [0] |
2 [32] |
|
Nenagh |
2.5 [30] |
4.5 [43] |
|
Newbridge |
New Centre |
9 [179] |
|
Portlaoise |
9 [103] |
3 [45] |
|
Sligo |
4 [43] |
10 [148] |
|
Tralee |
8 [98] |
4 [64] |
|
Tullamore |
New Centre |
11.5 [179] |
|
Waterford |
0 [0] |
0.5 [9] |
|
Wexford |
4 [25] |
0.5 [4] |
|
Wicklow |
7.5 [106] |
12 [139] |