The 2025 Annual Report from FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centre) highlights the huge unmet legal need for information and advice including its Traveller Legal Service.
FLAC’s Chief Executive, Eilis Barry told Justice Minister Jim O’ Callaghan, TD at the launch of the Report – Making the Case for Change – that civil legal aid is not just in crisis but may collapse and FLAC spoke about ‘legal aid deserts’ in parts of the country.
“Establishing general and targeted information services, a network of targeted law centres and community law centres in the areas of highest deprivation are comparatively cheap measures and would transform access to justice for the most disadvantaged communities,” said Ms Barry.
FLAC’s intervention in housing cases resulted in a number of families being able to access social housing or emergency, including a Traveller family who had been living on the roadside in poor conditions for five years, their report states.
“At present, judicial review is often the only way to challenge unfair or unlawful decisions concerning access to social housing or emergency accommodation. However, the provisions the Civil Reform Bill which is currently under consideration would block many of these cases,” said Ms. Barry.
Ms. Barry also highlighted the stalling of the General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 – which proposes some positive changes to equality legislation and represents the most significant law reform initiative in this area for two decades.
FLAC called on the Minister to use this once in a generation opportunity to establish a fit for purpose system of public legal assistance and urgently outline a civil legal aid reform plan.
Minister O’ Callaghan praised FLAC for its ongoing work and committed to providing increased support for Civil Legal Aid in his Department’s budget this year and also spoke about modernising the court system and strengthening the voice of the child within the court system.
FLAC promotes access to justice through its Telephone Information and Referral Line, Free Legal Advice Clinics, public interest casework, targeted legal services (for the Roma and Traveller communities), and policy and law reform work.
Pavee Point is a member of the advisory committee for the Traveller Legal Service in FLAC.
Photo – (LtoR) Martin Collins, Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs & Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, TD and Caoimhe McCabe, Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre at the launch of ‘Making the Case for Change’ – Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) 2025 Annual Report.