Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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675. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is aware of the difficulties facing many of those seeking to secure protection orders and barring orders in securing legal representation under civil legal aid entitlements; given these difficulties are preventing victims of domestic violence from securing such orders; if he will introduce changes to the legal aid fees payable to solicitors on the District Court family law solicitors panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25479/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that a range of supports are available for people experiencing domestic abuse and needing protection and other orders including from An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service, as well as from specialised domestic violence agencies which partner with and are supported by my Department.

The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 (“the 1995 Act”) and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2021. The Board also has responsibility for providing a family mediation service.

Civil legal aid and advice is provided primarily through a network of law centres by solicitors employed by the Board. The Board operates a total of 34 full-time law centres and dedicated units along with three part-time centres, and three specialist legal offices. The Board also engages private solicitors to supplement the services provided by Board solicitors in certain areas of law on a case-by-case basis. These areas include District Court family law matters, Circuit Court judicial separation and divorce cases, international protection cases, and cases arising under the Abhaile scheme.

In June 2022, my predecessor established a independent Civil Legal Aid Review Group to review the current operation of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme and make recommendations for its future. The Review Group, chaired by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke, has recently reported to me. My Department is examining the outputs of that Review and I will consider the question of the fees referred to by the Deputy in that context.