Sir, - Waiting lists in the Legal Aid Board law centres have reached a critical level. The worst case is the office in Newbridge, Co Kildare, where the waiting time for an appointment with a solicitor now stands at a record 23 months; Cork comes a close second with an average of 20 months, while in Galway the average is 16 months.
In a third of the Legal Aid Board's 30 law centres, clients must wait more than a year to see a solicitor. We are deeply concerned with the present situation and believe that the backlogs, which have become a feature of the State's civil legal aid scheme, not only cause distress and uncertainty for applicants but could also have human rights implications. Effectively, people who cannot afford their own solicitor are being denied access to justice.
The resources currently provided by the Government are being outstripped by demand. It is clear that immediate steps must be taken to provide an effective civil legal aid service which is capable of meeting the needs of applicants without undue delay.
We are compiling some research in this area and would like to hear from people who are currently on law centre waiting lists or who have been refused following their initial application. - Yours, etc.,
Maureen Maguire, Solicitor, Free Legal Advice Centres, 49 South William Street, Dublin 2.