Deirdre Clune
Question:81 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the provisions of the free legal aid scheme and its allocation in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11813/99]
Written Answers. - Legal Aid Service.
Deirdre Clune
Question:82 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the provision, if any, made to use private practitioners in the legal aid scheme in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11814/99]
Deirdre Clune
Question:83 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of solicitors employed at any one time in the legal aid centre in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11815/99]
Deirdre Clune
Question:84 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of cases dealt with by the legal aid office in Cork in each of the years from 1996 to 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11816/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 to 84, inclusive, together.
Civil legal aid and advice, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, is provided by the Legal Aid Board from a nationwide network of law centres to applicants who meet the qualifying criteria contained in the 1995 Act and in regulations made under the Act. While the Act provides for payment of a contribution by an applicant, which is calculated in accordance with the regulations, it also provides that the contribution can be dispensed with in certain circumstances.
The board currently operates 30 full-time law centres around the country, with seven in Dublin, two in Cork and one in each of the remaining counties apart from counties Carlow, Roscommon and Leitrim. The law centres at Cork are located at South Mall and Pope's Quay and had a staff complement which included four solicitors and five solicitors respectively until July 1998 when each of the Cork law centres was allocated an additional solicitor post.
The Legal Aid Board has operated a private practitioner scheme in the Dublin area for some years which provides a complimentary legal service to that which is already available from the law centres in certain family law matters. I understand that the board intends to extend the scheme on a nationwide basis in the coming months.
In the course of 1996, 691 and 715 people were provided with legal services by the law centres at South Mall and Pope's Quay respectively. In 1997, the corresponding throughput of cases increased to 713 and 988. The corresponding figures for 1998 are not yet to hand. They are being collated in the context of the preparation of the 1998 annual report of the Legal Aid Board.