Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for addressing much of what we asked, as set out in my opening statement.

I do not mean this in any combative sense but while Senator Gallagher is correct that a Fianna Fáil Government introduced civil legal aid, it is important that we give credit to Josie Airey, the woman who took the case to the European Court of Human Rights. Ms Airey, like so many women in the history of this State, was met with closed doors from the entire political establishment when she sought a separation, having been in an abusive marriage. She was snubbed by all politicians, the Catholic Church and the legal profession. She wrote to the European Commission of Human Rights and it was that organisation which provided free legal aid for her to take a case. It is thanks to Josie Airey that we have a civil legal aid system today.

I mention another woman, Kuxi, who raised this issue with me some months ago when she outlined the impact it was having on her and women she knew. She deserves credit as well. I could not believe it was true when she told me that HAP was being counted as income. I commend her because it was her work that prompted me to introduce this Bill.

Senator Martin made a point about ambition and noted that this is a pragmatic Bill. I hope we can work together on this. I have spoken in this Chamber many times about access to legal aid for the Stardust families at the inquest and the regulations in that regard have changed. However, that change was specific and other families who have lost loved ones in contested circumstances are now being denied legal aid in the inquest courts. Maybe that is something we can work on collectively as well.