Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

As I said, the board is independent but I want to encourage it to use the scheme in order that the many young solicitors, in particular, who are currently unemployed will have an opportunity to get work experience and, in doing so, will do a public service by assisting the law centres that are under enormous pressure. There has been a huge increase in numbers seeking legal help from law centres throughout the country as a consequence of the economic difficulties we are experiencing.

To give the Deputy an indication of the figures involved, in 2007, just over 10,164 persons sought legal services from the board in regard to what I describe as general civil law matters excluding the asylum area. The figure increased to 17,175 in 2010 and I am advised that the number of applicants in the first six months of this year was almost the same as the total number for 2007.

I hope and expect and it may well be the case that JobBridge work experience can be provided in each of the law centres under the aegis of the Legal Aid Board. I hope that where there are facilities in law centres to do so, that some of the law centres will be able to take on more than one intern. It is important that the interns get proper job experience and proper supervision in the work they undertake. The capacity of individual law centres to take on interns will depend on the numbers working within the centre and availability of space.

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