Schemes are needed for more people to get free legal aid
Dublin: A report by the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), a legal advice charity, has found that a significant percentage of people under the income threshold are not receiving legal aid.
Civil legal aid is only available to those with less than €18,000 in annual income and less than €100,000 in disposable assets.
Many families cannot afford large legal bills because their income exceeds the legal aid income limit. According to the annual report of the organisation, those who do not have access to legal aid are attempting to borrow money in order to sue for justice. The annual report of the organisation is thought to highlight the shortcomings and problems of Ireland’s legal profession. A solution to these is also requested in the report.
The annual report highlights a case where civil legal aid was denied because it was €500 more than the scheme’s income limit. The family is struggling to pay a bill of more than €20,000.
Legal aid is not available on time.
Another problem, the annual report says, is that eligible people have to wait months for legal aid to be approved. Homelessness, housing, and discrimination laws are also issues that are not addressed by the scheme.
Workers cannot be helped.
According to the report, approximately 2,000 people contacted the organisation last year regarding labour laws but were unable to obtain assistance. They couldn’t afford to hire their own lawyer. The Workplace Relations Commission also does not currently provide free legal aid for employment and discrimination claims. The organisation received 13,147 such calls last year. This is the highest level recorded since 2015.
According to the report, the number of cases involving family law issues such as divorce, separation, domestic violence, custody, and child support has increased by 30%.
Eillis Barry, Flac’s chief executive, said: “This is putting people’s access to justice at risk.
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