People involved in divorce and judicial separation proceedings will again be entitled to seek financial assistance, the head of the Legal Aid Board (LAB) said today.
Launching its annual report today, chairperson of the LAB, Ms Anne Coffey said that the 16 per cent increase in funding for the Board would mean it can revive its scheme for providing aid for those on low incomes involved in separations and divorce cases.
The scheme was a victim of cutbacks in the 2002 Budget but was allocated an extra in €3 million in the Book of Estimates published last week.
"The net effect of this increase in funding will be that the Board will now have the capacity to provide a timely service to assist those whose circumstances would otherwise prevent them from having access to the justice system," Ms Colley said.
It should bring us back in step with the work we were doing [before the cutbacks] and the waiting lists should reduce," she added.
The Minister for Justice Mr Michael McDowell attended the launch and said separation and divorce cases at the Circuit Court would now covered "with immediate effect" as would domestic violence and other family law cases before the District Court.
"[The funding] also enables the Boards to establish a new scheme to engage private practitioners in divorce and judicial separations in the Circuit Court," Mr McDowell said.
He also said all vacancies for solicitors at the board could now filled.