Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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617. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a schedule of the current premises owned and leased by the Legal Aid Board; the overall cost of each lease and the duration of same; and if the Legal Aid Board requires her permission in order to enter a new lease agreement and or purchase. [4988/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Legal Aid Board provides legal advice and aid under the relevant terms of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996-2017. Section 3(3) of the Act provides that the Board shall, subject to the provisions of the Act, be independent in the exercise of its functions.

The acquisition of premises is an operational matter for the Legal Aid Board under such terms, whether leasehold or otherwise, as it may consider appropriate to its functions.

However, to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have asked the Legal Aid Board to provide a schedule of premises that are owned and leased by it. I am advised by the Board that it does not own any property. The Board rents properties at locations throughout the country for the delivery of its civil legal aid and mediation services to the public. Some of these property rentals are the subject of a lease agreement, and a schedule of the leased properties is shown in the table below. Lease agreements typically include at least one break clause, which provide some flexibility should the Board’s property needs change over the duration of a lease.

Section 3 (2) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 states that the Legal Aid Board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and an official seal and power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and, with the consent of the Minister, to acquire, hold and dispose of land or an interest in land or rights over or in respect of land and to acquire, hold and dispose of any other property.

Legal Aid Board leased property