Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 28 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 2

Written Answers. - Refugee Legal Services.

John Gormley

Ceist:

142 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures, if any, he proposes to ensure that asylum seekers have access to legal aid for their first interview at initial stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2306/99]

John Gormley

Ceist:

143 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the introduction of a refugee legal service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2307/99]

John Gormley

Ceist:

147 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether the £120 rate per day legal aid given to asylum seekers is enough to ensure the best legal practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2317/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143 and 147 together.

The new refugee legal service will assist asylum seekers in exercising their legal rights in all aspects of the Irish asylum procedure. It will be an independent comprehensive service which will provide legal advice and representation for asylum seekers.

The new legal service will be based at the one-stop-shop centre for asylum seekers at Lower Mount Street. It is my intention that it will be available by end February 1999. The staff for the service will be provided from the existing staff of the board and new staff to be recruited specially for this service. The recruitment process is ongoing and arrangements have been made for initial training to take place for all staff involved in the provision of this service. The refugee legal service will be ringfenced in terms of funding and resources from the existing law centre service and will not interfere with the existing commitments of the Legal Aid Board.

As part of the service, the Legal Aid Board will arrange for translation services to be made available on a contract basis. In addition, the board will also be responsible for setting up and manag ing a facility to provide up-to-date background information on countries of origin.

My Department currently provides £120 (plus VAT) per case in legal aid for asylum seekers to present their cases to the Appeals Authority. This amount is paid to the legal representatives, who are engaged independently by asylum seekers, on certification by the Appeals Authority that the representatives have acted in the case. The fee of £120 is the same as that paid by the Legal Aid Board under its private practitioners' scheme for legal services provided for certain District Court family law cases. This system will, of course, be replaced by the new refugee legal service.