Written answers

Tuesday, 11 April 2017

Department of Justice and Equality

Legal Aid Service Data

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for free legal aid granted in each District Court and Circuit Court area in the past three years; and the cost of the scheme in each court area over this period. [18328/17]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The position in relation to applications under the Criminal Legal Aid Act 1962, as amended and the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, is set out below.

Criminal Legal Aid

Under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, the courts, through the judiciary, are responsible for the granting of legal aid. An applicant for legal aid must establish to the satisfaction of the court that their means are insufficient to enable them to pay for legal aid themselves. The 1962 Act specifies that the court must also be satisfied that, by reason of the "gravity of the charge" or "exceptional circumstances", it is essential in the interests of justice that the applicant should have legal aid. Criminal prosecutions originate in the District Court and if so satisfied, the Judge will grant a criminal legal aid certificate. The following table below provides the number of legal aid certificates issued by District Court area. Figures are not kept in such a way as to be able to provide a breakdown of the number of applications for free legal aid granted in the Circuit Court. Total expenditure on criminal legal aid for each of the past three years is as follows - 2014 - €49.890 million; 2015 - €50.879 million; 2016 - €52.998 million. It should be noted that some expenditure may relate to applications received in a previous year.

Court Area NameNo of Applications

2014
No of Applications

2015
No of Applications

2016
ABBEYFEALE1000
ACAILL156
AN CLOCHAN LIATH263319
AN DAINGEAN121835
AN FAL CARRACH253022
ARDEE9510394
ARKLOW239239252
ATHLONE337417511
ATHY152163173
BALLAGHADERREEN996373
BALLINA90124103
BALLINASLOE292255352
BALLYSHANNON716780
BANDON200232127
BANTRY10010579
BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD451926
BRAY777812898
BUNCRANA829788
CAHIRCIVEEN272419
CARLOW679722727
CARNDONAGH595144
CARRICK ON SHANNON130146135
CARRICK ON SUIR1259896
CARRICKMACROSS370332343
CASHEL155150161
CASTLEBAR152141178
CASTLEREA231223266
CAVAN788724706
CILL RONAIN312
CLIFDEN272418
CLONAKILTY12510686
CLONMEL370367381
CORK CITY366240053835
DOIRE AN FHEICH442326
DONEGAL414645
DROGHEDA746817952
DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT231752464126616
DUNDALK646757845
DUNGARVAN208219216
ENNIS144113891490
FERMOY284269288
GALWAY108811901124
GOREY604702702
GORT98117105
KENMARE163224
KILCOCK205175184
KILKENNY609801837
KILLALOE158138142
KILLARNEY216261198
KILLORGLIN526959
KILRUSH183257193
KINSALE200
LETTERKENNY584642671
LISMORE292727
LISTOWEL132167147
LONGFORD275327450
LOUGHREA122147225
MACROOM979055
MALLOW450493567
MANORHAMILTON131913
MIDLETON321340430
MONAGHAN401318371
MULLINGAR449385404
NA GLEANNTA261421
NAAS998899933
NAVAN906908222
NENAGH442576502
NEWCASTLE WEST262307327
PORTLAOISE704728773
ROSCOMMON113142189
SKIBBEREEN754452
SLIGO397406389
STROKESTOWN303525
THURLES346344351
TIPPERARY234228241
TRALEE576647583
TRIM243299114
TUAM129161205
TUBBERCURRY443737
TULLAMORE559512503
VIRGINIA362304274
WATERFORD CITY140413711395
WESTPORT383157
WEXFORD666817689
WICKLOW215284296
YOUGHAL1148998
Total Applications 511285393755617

It should noted that both Abbeyfeale and Kinsale closed in 2014 hence there are no certificates issued in 2015 and 2016.

Civil Legal Aid

I am informed by the Legal Aid Board that they do not maintain data in relation to the particular District Court Area (including the Dublin Metropolitan District) or Circuit Court county in which the legal aid is to be provided. This is because such information is not required to be provided to the Board as part of an application for civil legal aid. Indeed it may be the case at the time of making an application for a legal aid certificate that a solicitor acting for an intended plaintiff may have yet to identify the correct court area in which proceedings should be taken. For similar reasons the Board cannot provide information in relation to the costs of providing services in each District Court Area or Circuit Court county.

The following table provides the number of civil legal aid certificates granted to applicants in connection with intended proceedings in (a) the District Court and (b) the Circuit Court, in each of the last three years at each Legal Aid Board law centre. Also attached are the net costs (less contributions and costs recovered) of running each law centre in the years in question.

These numbers do not include a substantial number of certificates issued out of the Board’s specialist service for family law matters at the Dublin District Court. That service issued 1,865 certificates in 2014, 1,795 certificates in 2015, and 1,724 certificates in 2016, all for matters in the District Court. They also do not include a much smaller number of legal aid certificates issued by the Board’s specialist units for medical negligence, personal injuries nor the costs of operating these units. Nor does it include certificates issued pursuant to the Abhaile scheme (in the second half of 2016).

2014 District Court2014 Circuit Court2015 District Court2015 Circuit Court2016 District Court2016 Circuit Court2014 Net Costs €0002015 Net Costs €0002016 Net Costs €000
Athlone153841656013782570615683
Blanchardstown121062412625111767580601
Castlebar437079427564393452462
Cavan605575675744398396460
Clondalkin186468678667592569683
Cork Popes Quay2491062091122571441,0881,1331,206
Cork South Mall46891428147426821,1661,0421,146
Dundalk125701296710138404394406
Ennis17401897620361496499548
Finglas929259739124777588578
Galway Francis Street2048231153229146900920851
Galway Seville House582780686450022588
Jervis Street (previously Gardiner Street)401034112766929851,1581,455
Kilkenny247113254136246127632663850
Letterkenny27111326810524384518554611
Limerick24695286132355110509614648
Longford105631034514570471468585
Monaghan1311711207011188409581529
Navan3091002698425989485520520
Nenagh238832767629944619583582
Newbridge221159200140153109676699746
Portlaoise126741629720986488505602
Sligo106621086313158359412484
Smithfield4290439546742,8863,7654,138
Tallaght156814973075601610668
Tralee1806821610222365643638663
Tullamore847272398360398397411
Waterford176721876218671588589635
Wexford1704017075173575435721,031
Wicklow172851949019787627617629

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