Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The Minister is aware that the current criminal legal aid scheme operates on the basis that application is made to the court, usually at District Court level. Legal aid would be granted and the District Court judge would make a decision. That does not involve a large bureaucracy in administering the system.

Will the Minister outline how many additional employees will be required in the Legal Aid Board to administer a criminal legal aid scheme? Has he calculated within the cost savings the likely adjournments that will take place of criminal trials while the Legal Aid Board processes criminal legal aid applications? Is he aware of the fact that in dealing with civil litigation, particularly in the family law area, within the existing law centres there are often substantial delays before legal aid applications are processed, which result in cases being delayed in coming to final hearing in the courts? Has the Minister factored in the cost impact of this with regard to Garda time and the delays in criminal proceedings being heard, with the possibility of individuals who are repeat offenders being on bail longer than is desirable, continuing to offend while awaiting determination of legal aid applications?

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