All society is damaged when some can’t access legal system

The recession laid bare fundamental flaws in Ireland’s legal aid system, with many denied access to badly needed legal help, writes Noeline Blackwell

The beautifully worded introduction to the 1995 legislation establishing Ireland’s civil legal aid scheme says that it is “dedicated” to ensuring that “persons of insufficient means” have access to legal services.

Its clear purpose therefore was that those who could not afford to pay privately for legal help would be supported by the State in getting access to the law. This would in turn advance the ideals on which the State is founded — ideals of equality and social justice in a democratic State governed by the rule of law. If this intent had been realised, we would now have a comprehensive civil legal aid scheme which would allow redress to anyone who is wronged, but too poor to stand up for their rights.