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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 5

Written Answers. - Legal Aid Centres.

Jack Wall

Question:

21 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the most recent waiting list figures for each of the civil legal aid centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3064/99]

The waiting times for appointments with solicitors as at 31 December, 1998 are set out in the table which I will have circulated within the Official Report. In three law centres the waiting time for appointment was less than one month, in six law centres it was between one and three months, in five law centres it was between three and six months, in eight law centres it was between six and 12 months, in four law centres it was between 12 and 18 months and in four law centres the waiting time was greater than 18 months.

In consultation with the Legal Aid Board I continually monitor the position with regard to waiting times at the law centres operated by the Legal Aid Board. I am aware that waiting times in some law centres are continuing to increase notwithstanding the allocation of significant additional resources. Where waiting times, for whatever reasons, become excessive the position is examined by the board with a view to taking remedial action.

In this regard, the Legal Aid Board has operated a private practitioners scheme in the Dublin area on a pilot basis for some years. I understand that the board intends to extend the scheme on a nation-wide basis in the coming months. The private practitioners scheme provides a complimentary legal service to that which is already available from the Law Centres. The expansion nationwide of the private practitioners scheme, should increase the throughput of legally aided cases and also enable the law centres to devote more resources towards non-District Court matters.

The board operates a policy of providing a priority service in a range of issues which include domestic violence, child care and child abduction. A substantial number of appointments are given each month on a priority basis. For example, 1,879 of the 8,722 appointments offered in law centres in 1998 were for priority matters. None of those accorded priority were put on waiting lists. In the Dublin area, 911 appointments were offered through the private practitioner scheme operated by the Legal Aid Board in 1998.

In order to combat the increase in waiting times I made additional resources available to the Legal Aid Board in 1998 and again in 1999. I increased the grant-in-aid by 15 per cent in 1998 to £9.615 million and I am further increasing the allocation this year. In consultation with the Minister for Finance I am reviewing the Legal Aid Board's estimate for 1999 which stands at £10.953 million at present. I hope to substantially increase this amount prior to the publication of the 1999 revised Estimates for public services later this month. In addition a further allocation of £1 million is being allocated for legal services for asylum seekers bringing the total current allocation to £11.953 million, an increase of 24 per cent over last year.

Last July I approved 25 additional posts for the Legal Aid Board. Of these, 17 posts, including five solicitor posts, were for law centres. In addition I sanctioned the making permanent of six temporary staff, including three relief solicitors. The board, which has sanction for 89 solicitor posts, currently employs 86 solicitors. A competition is under way to fill the remaining three posts and the board is confident it will have its full complement of 89 solicitors in place shortly. I believe that these allocations should help to alleviate the situation with regard to waiting times in the law centres.
Waiting Time (in months) for appointments with solicitors of the Legal Aid Board at 31st December, 1998.

Law Centre

31st December, 1998

Athlone

17.0

Castlebar

0.50

Cavan

1.50

Popes Quay

18.0

South Mall

23.0

Blanchardstown

2.50

Clondalkin

0.00

Finglas

6.50

Gardiner Street

10.00

Mount Street

9.0

Ormond Quay

5.50

Tallaght

18.0

Dundalk

8.00

Ennis

7.00

Galway

20.50

Kilkenny

2.50

Letterkenny

5.50

Limerick

8.00

Longford

1.50

Monaghan

2.50

Navan

3.50

Nenagh

12.50

Newbridge

20.00

Portlaoise

4.0

Sligo

12.00

Tralee

8.00

Tullamore

4.50

Waterford

0.5

Wexford

3.0

Wicklow

22.0

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