Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I did not comment earlier on the Hammond Lane project, but I fully support the points made. It was one of the main matters which arose in our recent hearings on family law. One of the other issues raised by every speaker was the difficulty in obtaining legal aid. There are low thresholds and high minimum contributions. It is a problem in several areas but particularly in family law. My reading is that the Legal Aid Board's funding is more or less static and that criminal legal aid scheme funding is being reduced. Perhaps it is not the most popular issue in a political sense, but this is a retrograde step. There are backlogs in seeking legal aid and the minimum contribution to be made can put people off. This creates a real issue when it comes to seeking access to justice. It is becoming inaccessible for many.