Legal aid waiting lists double in a year

Legal aid waiting lists almost doubled last year due to budget cutbacks, it emerged tonight.

The Legal Aid Board said the number of people waiting for free legal representation from solicitors and barristers had increased from 1,800 in 2002 to 3,500 last year.

According to its annual report, the board’s budget was reduced by almost €100,000 last year.

“The net effect of the actions taken to operate within its budgetary allocation has been to reduce the number of persons provided with legal services, and has led to an increase in waiting times throughout the law centre network,” said chairperson Anne Colley.

The board was unable to fill some vacancies in its network of law centres and also had to cut its use of private solicitors.

It was sued in the High Court by a woman who was left waiting for legal aid in her judicial separation case. The board is awaiting judgement.

Waiting times in some parts of the country increased to 16 months.

Divorce and judicial separation cases generated the greatest demand for legal aid. The board provided legal aid to 6,125 Circuit Court cases for divorce, separation or nullity of marriages last year.

It gave priority to certain types of cases such as domestic violence, childcare and child abduction.

Ms Colley said Minister for Justice Michael McDowell had provided an additional €850,000 in funding for 2004.

The budget for next year is to increase by 16% to more than €21m.

Ms Colley said this would allow the board to fill their existing solicitor vacancies and to reduce legal aid waiting periods to four months by the end of 2005.