Paul McGrath
Ceist:38 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the number of people on waiting lists at each free legal aid centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Vol. 417 No. 5
38 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the number of people on waiting lists at each free legal aid centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am advised by the Legal Aid Board that when a person calls to a law centre the staff first ascertain if the problem is one that is to be treated as an "emergency". If not, the person is asked for his or her name and address with a view to being placed on a waiting list. People may decline to be put on the list.
Persons whose names are added to the waiting list are advised that they will be written to within a certain time scale and offered an appointment.
That is the position obtaining at all law centres, with the exception of three, and the number of people on waiting lists on 19 March 1992 at each law centre where it is the position was approximately as follows: Athlone, 29; Castlebar, 36; Cork, North Mall, 180; Cork, South Mall, 140; Dublin, Gardiner Street, 750; Dundalk, 25; Galway, 86; Letterkenny, 73; Limerick, 191; Sligo, 44; Tralee, 100; Waterford, 100.
39 Mr. Taylor asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement on the operation of the civil legal aid scheme; and if he will outline the improvements in the service, if any, which are proposed during the current year.
Notwithstanding the continuing and pressing need to contain public expenditure, significant improvements have been made in recent years in the civil legal aid service. Since this Government took office in 1989 the board's annual grant-in-aid has been increased substantially in each of the subsequent years. Vacancies for solicitors and administrative staff have been filled and additional staff have been recruited. Three new law centres were opened recently at Castlebar, Letterkenny and Dundalk, another two centres will be opened this year in the greater Dublin area, in Clondalkin and Finglas. This will bring to 16 the number of full-time centres operating round the country.
I am advised by the board that the opening of further part-time centres is under active consideration and also that it intends to put forward proposals in the near future for a further expansion of the scheme in 1993. My response to any such proposals will, of course, depend on the budgetary situation at the time.
During 1991, the income qualification limits for services under the scheme were raised from £5,500 disposable income per annum to £6,200, with a wide range of allowances increased to make more people eligible. The threshold below which legal services are made available for the minimum contribution of £19 was increased to £4,400 disposable income per annum from the previous figure of £3,500. This was the first revision of means test limits since 1986 and its purpose was to restore eligibility levels under the scheme in real terms to those which applied when it was first introduced.
In March 1991 a Ministerial Policy Directive was issued to the board under the provisions of the scheme to enable legal assistance to be provided to complainants in legal proceedings in respect of cases of rape or aggravated sexual assault. Extra staff were made available for this purpose.
With regard to the provision of additional resources to the Legal Aid Board the position is that notwithstanding the very difficult budgetary position the grant-in-aid to the legal Aid Board has been increased again this year, for the third successive year.