Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I compliment the Seanad on removing the word "severe" and replacing it with "undue". Certainly, facing into this economic downturn, there will be a challenge. The Free Legal Advice Centre will have much more work on its hands with regard to lending institutions taking repossession of properties. The term "severe hardship" was too narrow an interpretation and "undue" will make the service accessible to many more people. Whoever came up with "severe hardship" was certainly intent on not letting it be available to as many people as practicable.

I question the interpretation of "undue". My reading of what the Minister of State is saying is that the free legal advice centre will be the body interpreting "undue" on an individual or case by case basis. If that is the case, I appeal for the service to be made available to as many as is practicable. I am not saying it should be made available to everybody but within the last number of months an amount of work has been coming to my clinics and office relating to people with financial difficulties because of the economic downturn and other matters. In the spirit of this debate, the free legal advice centre should make its services available to the many rather than the few.

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