Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to legal aid, there has been an increase of €2 million in this year's budget which, obviously, applies to the various different elements within the legal aid structure. There is a continuing increase in need for it. Having met the Legal Aid Board, in recent weeks, I have given a commitment to review the overall process and how people can access legal aid. There was a reduction as part of FEMPI in respect of a number of different elements, including criminal legal aid, which was mentioned by the Chairman. This is an ongoing issue that requires engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Again, I have given a commitment to the Legal Aid Board with regard to this and a number of other issues it has raised relating to reduced costs for other groups such as international protection applicants, although that was following engagement with the Legal Aid Board itself and looking at the work that was being done. Again, this is something that needs to be engaged with through the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I have given a commitment to meet the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to progress this.

In terms of the overall structure, how the courts function is not within my remit. There has been a significant effort. Towards the end of the summer, the Chief Justice highlighted the fact that he wanted the Courts Service to be operating at 80% by September. Things were on track, not just in Dublin but around the country. With the introduction of level 5 and the change in the dynamic of Covid-19, that has changed. Every effort is being made to have hearings held remotely. Some significant progress has been made and there have been very positive results. I refer to a domestic violence case recently where a barring order was given out via a video camera so it has been very successful. For most of the courts, where they are hearing in person, possibly mainly the District Court, it is the emergency cases such as family law, domestic violence and breaches of the various different family orders that are being heard. The overall running of the courts is a matter for the Courts Service working with the president. With regard to the additional funding that was allocated, the €5 million related to the July stimulus was aimed at getting them all up and running and provide any of those additional measures, including PPE and hiring additional buildings to be able to conduct jury trials. That has been pretty successful in making sure criminal trials in particular have continued.