Legal Aid Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Questions (360)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

360. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amounts paid by the Legal Aid Board to personal insolvency practitioners, solicitors and barristers under the PIA Review Legal Aid Service since its inception; the details of these payments; the companies and persons that received same; the amount received by each company and person; the amounts that have been incurred but are unpaid by the Legal Aid Board to personal insolvency practitioners, solicitors and barristers under the PIA Review Legal Aid Service since its inception; the details of these liabilities; the companies and persons to which they are owed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7950/20]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I have had inquiries made with the Legal Aid Board and am informed that the Legal Aid Board is not in a position to provide information as to individual amounts accrued in connection with individual service providers. It is for the person granted legal aid to engage their own solicitor from the panel on foot of a legal aid certificate and for that solicitor (if authorised to do so) to instruct Counsel. The Legal Aid Board does not generally become aware of which solicitor and barrister have been engaged on the individual legally-aided person’s behalf until a claim for payment on behalf of that solicitor or barrister is received.

Schedule A sets out in tabular format the amounts spent by the Legal Aid Board on solicitors, barristers and personal insolvency practitioners for applications under the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to the 30th April 2020.

Schedule B sets out in tabular format the amount paid to by the Legal Aid Board to each individual solicitor, barrister and personal insolvency practitioner for applications under the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to the 30th April 2020.

Schedule C sets out in tabular format the total amounts incurred but not yet paid by the Legal Aid Board in connection with solicitors, barristers and personal insolvency practitioners for applications under the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 as at 22nd May 2020.

Details of Payments