asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the recent threat by the chairman of the Legal Aid Board (details supplied) that he might resign because of the inadequate resources being provided for the legal aid centres; the steps he proposes to take to avert the possible loss of the chairman to the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Legal Aid Board.
52.
As was indicated during the course of the adjournment debate on 22 November 1989 (Official Report, vol. 393; cols. 1454-1460) the Government have made available extra Exchequer funding of £425,000 to the Legal Aid Board for 1990. This will, inter alia, keep open four law centres at Tallaght, Tralee, Cork and Athlone which, in the absence of extra funding, would have had to close at the end of the year. The board have also been allowed to take on a substantial number of staff at both solicitor and administrative levels. The increase over the board's allocation for 1989 is almost 25 per cent.
While I fully appreciate the concern of the chairman of the board in this matter, I am satisfied at this present time the measures approved by the Government are in keeping with what we can afford. I agree with the views of my predecessors in office who are on record in this House as saying that as soon as financial circumstances permit it the board should be allowed to expand.