Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I apologise for the delay. I want, first, to acknowledge the Minister's record over many years as a practitioner in this area. I know that he has been very involved. I am sure he will agree that to have 3,800 people waiting for this service on 1 June is something that we cannot stand over and we need to put in place some preparations to address this.

The internship scheme announced in the context of the jobs initiative would seem to present opportunities for law graduates or practising solicitors or barristers who currently do not have any job opportunities. Some statistics were given in the past fortnight of the number who are applying to register in the UK.

Has the Minister or the Legal Aid Board discussed an initiative with the Minister, Deputy Joan Burton, whereby people could be available in 16 of the 29 centres where the waiting time is more than four months and in those six centres where the waiting time is far longer than that? Has the Minister consulted the Legal Aid Board as to whether there is a disparity in waiting times across centres? Are there management issues in local offices and practices that some offices use that may be replicated around the network that could assist in the management of the case studies and ensure that people get a chance to access the service?

In the area of civil law, particularly when people are facing huge challenges in terms of debts with financial institutions and other organisations, will the Minister consider a specific initiative to make people experienced in this area available to those seeking consultation on this issue?

See this speech in context