Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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283. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the work of the legal aid review group; when he expects the review to be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20402/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In its forty years of operation, the Civil Legal Aid Scheme has been a significant and beneficial public service, providing legal aid and advice to people of limited means in civil disputes, including family law.

However, since the Scheme was set up, Irish society has changed, and the demands of the service have grown. In order to provide maximum benefit to those it was established to serve, within the finite resources available to fund legal aid, a robust, comprehensive review of the Scheme is now under way. This review will include consideration of eligibility limits.

Minister McEntee established the Review Group chaired by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke. The membership of the group is drawn from legal practitioners, academics, Department officials, those who work with marginalised groups, and representatives from the Legal Aid Board, which administers the statutory scheme.

As part of the review, a comprehensive process of consultation has been conducted to ensure that a wide range of views and insights regarding the operation of the Scheme – and how best to support those of limited means with legal needs – is captured.

A call for submissions, from key stakeholders, launched last November, was the first element of the consultation and closed on 28th February 2023. 

The Group also launched a public survey to capture the views of those who have experience of the civil legal aid scheme or who have applied for it. The public survey also closed on 28th February 2023.

The third strand of consultation, focused on hard to reach groups has now also been completed.

The results of all elements of the consultation are now being considered by the Review Group and will inform its work going forward.

The work of the Group is ongoing, with a report expected later this year. Ultimately the review should map out a future for the Scheme, one which will provide for a flexible service that has, as far as possible, the capacity and resources to respond to the priority legal assistance needs of those of insufficient means.