Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 3

Written Answers. - Legal Aid Service.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

132 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people waiting for legal aid at each of the Dublin Legal Aid Board centres; the average waiting period; and if he will give comparative information for these legal aid centres for the beginning of the years 1999 and 2000. [2795/01]

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

133 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of solicitor posts sanctioned in each of the Dublin Legal Aid Board offices; the number of vacancies which exist; and the number of new solicitors who have been recruited in the past four months. [2796/01]

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

134 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of administrative support posts, permanent or temporary, sanctioned in each of the Dublin Legal Aid Board offices; the number of vacancies which exist for these posts; and the number of posts which are being filled on an agency basis. [2797/01]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133 and 134 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statements:

Waiting times – closing number – for appointments with solicitors of the Legal Aid Board in the Dublin area:

Number of Persons on Waiting List

Dublin Law Centres	Jan.1999	Jan.2000	Dec.2000
Blanchardstown	53	49	72
Clondalkin	25	79	209
Finglas	86	54	112
Gardiner Street	284	150	127
Mount Street	166	53	83
Ormond Quay	259	274	169
Tallaght	377	85	209
TotalNumberofPersonson Waiting List	1,250	744	981

Waiting times – in months – for appointments with solicitors of the Legal Aid Board in the Dublin area

Dublin Law Centres	Jan.1999	Jan.2000	Dec.2000
Blanchardstown	3.0	2.5	5.0
Clondalkin	1.0	3.5	11.5
Finglas	7.0	5.5	10.5
Gardiner Street	10.5	12.5	10.0
Mount Street	10.0	2.0	5.0
Ormond Quay	6.5	10.0	7.0
Tallaght	19.0	4.5	10.5
Average Waiting Time	8	6	8.5

Solicitor posts in Dublin Legal Aid Board offices

Law Centre	No. ofSolicitorssanctioned	No. of newSolicitorsrecruitedin the lastfourmonths	No. ofexistingSolicitorvacancies
Blanchardstown	3	0	1.5
Clondalkin	4	1*	1
Finglas	4	1**	2
Gardiner Street	6	2	0
Mount Street	4	0	0
Ormond Quay	6	0	0
Tallaght	4	1	1
Refugee Legal Service	22	1	14.5

*solicitor due to take up appointment on 5 February

**solicitor due to take up appointment on 1 February

Administrative support posts sanctioned in each of the Dublin Legal Aid Board offices

Law Centre	No. ofperm.admin.postssanctioned	No. oftemp.admin.postssanctioned	No. ofvacanciescurrentlyexisting	No. ofpostsfilled onan agencybasis
Blanchards-town	4	0	0	0
Clondalkin	5	1	1	0
Finglas	5	1	1	0
Gardiner St.	7	0	0	0
Mount Street	5	0	1	2
OrmondQuay	8	0	1	0
Tallaght	5	0	0	0
Refugee Legal Service	21	97	87	0

I received sanction in November 2000 from my colleague, the Minister for Finance, for additional solicitor and administrative support posts, both permanent and temporary, to facilitate the expansion of the refugee legal service. I understand that the board will proceed with the filling of these posts when their office accommodation has been fitted out.

I can further inform the Deputy that negotiations are ongoing with the Law Society to agree a more attractive package for the use of private practitioners by the board. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on this matter shortly.

I understand from the Legal Aid Board, that the results of a recent open competition for the recruitment of solicitors has been finalised and a number of appointments are pending. I have been further informed by the board that they expect to re-advertise for solicitors, as the recent competition did not result in sufficient qualified applicants being available to meet the board's needs. A long standing pay claim on behalf of solicitor grades was agreed towards the end of last year and the board is hopeful that this will have a positive impact on the forthcoming recruitment competition.