Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons on the waiting list and the average length of the waiting time for free legal aid at the Navan Law Centre, the Nenagh Law Centre and North Quay Law Centre, Cork, in January 2002, January 2004 and January 2006. [11221/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Funding for the Legal Aid Board has been increased by over 19% during the last two years, from €18.388 million in 2004 to €21.9 million in 2006. This additional funding has contributed to a significant improvement in waiting times across the country. The present position with waiting times at the Legal Aid Board's law centres is that legal services are being provided to all eligible persons within a maximum period of four months. In half of the law centres the maximum waiting time at the end of January 2006 was two months or less.

The table gives the comparative waiting times and the numbers of persons awaiting appointments at Navan Law Centre, Nenagh Law Centre and Pope's Quay Law Centre at the end of January 2002, January 2004 and January 2006.