Legal Aid Board warns of 'poverty traps' claiming Covid-19 will raise case backlog

Almost a third of first appointments facilitated by the Legal Aid Board last year were priority matters, including domestic violence cases, child abduction cases, and proceedings where children were being taken into care. Pic: iStock

The Legal Aid Board has warned of the potential for "poverty traps" because eligibility criteria for its services has not changed since 2006, and also said the current Covid-19 pandemic could result in a delayed surge for its help at a time when its backlog of cases had grown.

Civil legal aid and advice is provided through 30 full-time and 12 part-time centres around the country and in the foreword to its 2019 annual report, LAB chairperson Philip O'Leary said he was conscious that the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact "are likely to give rise to a very significant 'delayed' demand for the board's services and many of those experiencing difficult family situations or finding themselves with financial problems brought on or exacerbated by the crisis, will need legal advice and representation in increasing numbers as the restrictions unwind."