James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the recourse that a person (details supplied) in County Longford has in respect of legal aid to seek a decree of judicial separation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21279/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that, as the solicitor/client relationship is protected by privilege in accordance with the terms of section 32 of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, the Legal Aid Board does not provide information to third parties regarding a person who may or may not be a client of the Board. The Deputy may also wish to note that any person may make an application for legal aid to the Legal Aid Board. In line with the Board's governing legislation, the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and accompanying Regulations, all such applications are subject to a means test and a merits test. While usage of the Circuit Court Private Practitioner Scheme has been scaled back considerably by the Board in recent years due to budgetary considerations, this has no bearing on whether or not an individual will qualify for legal aid.