Ms Eilis Barry:

A case was taken against the former Equality Tribunal for a delay and the High Court found that a delay of three years was not inordinate.

Deputy O'Callaghan mentioned two different forms of delay that occur. In FLAC's experience, there are significant delays in legal aid. Before people even get in the door of the court, there can be delays of over six months in getting access to a Legal Aid Board solicitor. The Legal Aid Board solicitors will primarily only be dealing with family law. Then there is a significant number of people who are trying to recommend themselves who are lay litigants before the courts. They contribute to delay because they find the whole process so difficult and so inaccessible.

There were serious hits to the Courts Service, particularly IT, during the recession. There is a real need for there to be considerable investment in the Courts Service, such as the website to make forms and procedures much more accessible and to provide for the lay litigant who may never be represented before the courts.