Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for that response but my issue is that the scheme is means tested. The allowance given to families does not cover all the needs that are there. The law is that the aid is not given to anyone with means of over €18,000 a year. I have had several cases of women whose earnings are barely over it and not by much. If one breaks down €18,000 per year, it works out about €350 per week, which is incredibly low enough. These women are not getting this aid. They might be just barely over €350 a week or they could be on €400 a week and they are told they will not get free legal aid. When the review is being done I ask that the Minister of State looks at the threshold. One lady came into my office recently and asked me if she should give up work. She said that if she gave up work she would get free legal aid and everything else she was entitled to get. I told her to keep working and that a review was going on and the Minister would look at it. We need to make sure the most vulnerable get this help, particularly if they are doing their best. They are trying to work and then they are not getting it.

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