The Legal Aid board today reported an increase in its workload but a fall in the numbers using its refugee service during 2007.
In its annual report for 2007, the board said its workload rose 5 per cent last year over 2006, with aid and advice given in 13,905 cases in 2007 as compared with 13,154 cases the previous year.
But the number people registering with the organisation's Refugee Legal Service (RLS) was 2,650 compared to 2,980 the previous year, a reduction of 11 per cent.
Around two-thirds of applicants for refugee status used RLS services during 2007, a slight fall on the corresponding proportion of 70 per cent in 2006, the report found.
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".
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.
Just over two-thirds of advice cases in 2007 were in the family law area, and these cases rose by nearly 13 per cent in 2007, to 3,001, compared to 2006.
Advice provided on cases concerning other civil matters rose 50 per cent. These issues include issues such as wills/probate/administration, medical negligence, and personal injury.
Overall, advice cases were up by 23 per cent on 2006.
The Medical Negligence Unit, which saw its first full year of operation in 2007, dealt with 105 cases during that year, of which 64 cases were concluded.
But the board said that in most cases it was necessary to advise the client that there was not an actionable case against the medical practitioner or the hospital.
There were 41 active medical cases brought forward into 2008, with proceedings ongoing in 13 cases and investigations in relation to the 28 others.
