Legal Aid Board predicts case rise during recession

THE NUMBER of people availing of legal aid in Ireland rose to almost 18,000 last year and the Legal Aid Board indicated the figure is likely to rise further as the State moves into tougher economic times.

In its annual report for 2007, the board said the number of service users rose by 500 to 18,000, an increase of some 3 per cent. Its workload also increased by 5 per cent, with aid and advice given in 13,905 cases, compared to 13,154 in 2006.

Moling Ryan, ceo of the Legal Aid Board, said the board anticipates an increased workload moving forward as international experience shows an "inevitable link" between a downturn in the economy and a rise in the number of family laws cases.

The Legal Aid Board provides civil legal aid to people with incomes of less than €18,000, who are required to make a contribution of €50 for legal aid and €10 for legal advice.

The report found that family law continues to be the main area in which the board provides legal advice, although 2007 saw a "significant increase" in advice given on other civil matters. Advice provided on cases concerning other civil matters rose 50 per cent, these included issues such as wills, probate, and personal injury.

However, some 85 per cent of the cases dealt with in the board's 30 nationwide law centres still related to family issues such as marriage breakdown, domestic violence and child custody. The Refugee Legal Service registered 2,650 new clients last year, compared to 2,980 in 2006.

The board observed that these figures "are consistent both with the decreasing number of asylum seekers presenting in this country and also the increasing participation in this area of law by solicitors in private practice".

Last year, the then minister for justice Brian Lenihan said far too many family law disputes were going to a full court hearing, which was "very confrontational and expensive" and encouraged an increase in mediation in cases.

His successor, Dermot Ahern, said he was impressed by the "significant contribution" the board is making to the development of alternative dispute resolution, especially through collaborative law practices in family cases.

Funding for the board increased by 11 per cent last year to €24.2 million. Of this, €8.6 million was spent on the Refugee Legal Service, some €4.9 million on counsel fees and almost €2 million on salaries.

The board largely achieved its objective to provide legal services to all applicants within a maximum period of 4 months, with the longest wait of six months occurring in Wexford and the shortest in Dundalk, Co Louth.

"The target of providing an appointment with a solicitor within four months has largely been met, and 16 of our 30 law centres had waiting times of two months or less at the end of 2007," the board said.