Applications for legal aid from refugees rises by nearly 600% in two years

The Legal Aid Board said it had 'significantly enhanced' its support for those seeking international protection in 2023, adding that in doing so it was underlining its 'pivotal role in helping some of the most vulnerable people seeking protection under the law'. File photo: Cillian Sherlock/PA

Applications for legal aid made by asylum seekers increased by nearly 600% in just two years, new figures show.

Ireland’s civil legal aid agency was petitioned for legal representation or advice on 24,472 occasions in 2023, according to the body’s annual report.