Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 4

Written Answers. - Legal Aid Board Statistics.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

42 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the percentage of applicants to the Civil Legal Aid Board seeking assistance in cases involving domestic violence for the most recent year for which figures are available; if he will give a county by county breakdown of the applicants in such cases for the most recent year for which figures are available; his views on whether persons employed by the Civil Legal Aid Board have sufficient training in the specific area of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18271/95]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

Of 3,704 persons who received legal aid from the Legal Aid Board in 1994, a total of 837 or 23 per cent received it for the purpose of obtaining a barring order or an injunction against a violent person. The board also represented a significant number of spouses in 1994 who sought a decree of judicial separation on the ground of the violence of the other spouse. Information on the number of such cases as a percentage of all separation cases is not readily available. A county-by-county breakdown of domestic violence cases dealt with by the board is also not available.

I am informed by the Legal Aid Board that its professional and administrative staff are fully aware and sensitive to the needs and circumstances of applicants who have suffered domestic violence. I understand that the staff regularly attend training courses and seminars related to all aspects of family law including domestic violence.