31 / 462
GAZETTE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1992
FLAC Appeals 'In Desperation' For Funds
to Avert Crisis
The Free Legal Advice Centrés
(FLAC) has launched a desperate
appeal to solicitors, barristers and
friends to avert the closure of its
services. FLAC has already had to
lay off t wo of its four permanent
staff, including our only solicitor,
owing to lack of funding for the
coming year. Even this drastic
measure will not be sufficient and
FLAC's services will close entirely
unless we can achieve additional
funding of £40 , 000.
Despite the essential service which
we provide, FLAC does not receive
any funding from the Government.
We have been entirely dependent on
the support of the legal professions
and other supportive organisations
and individuals.
FLAC provides a range of vital
services which are not provided by
any other organisation. These
include the following:
•
We provide a helpline for people
with legal problems. FLAC gives
advice or refers people to services
which can deal directly with the
special circumstances of their case.
FLAC receives over 6,000 phone
calls per year, the largest area of
queries being family law.
•
FLAC provides representation in
well over 100 social welfare and em-
ployment tribunal cases each year.
These cases are excluded from the
government civil legal aid scheme,
yet they are often of vital importance
to the people involved.
•
FLAC represents people in
court cases involving important
legal issues. For example, FLAC has
represented a woman in a case,
cu r r en t ly before t he Supreme
Court, wh i ch seeks to establish a
constitutional right to legal aid.
FLAC is also representing 2 , 000
married women in High Court
proceedings to establish the right
12 ^
t o equal t r e a t me nt in soc i al
welfare.
•
FLAC provides training courses
t o v o l u n t a ry and c ommu n i ty
groups, particularly in the areas of
family, employment and social
welfare law. We also produce info-
rmation booklets and leaflets. For
example, we have produced in-
formation leaflets on moneylending
and the law and legal aid services.
The value of the services wh i ch
FLAC provide has been widely
recognised. Yet if we can not obtain
a guarantee of additional funding
for 1992, these services will have
to close. We have written to the
Minister for Justice calling on him
to provide an immediate grant to
FLAC to allow our work to continue.
We have yet to receive any detailed
reply from the Minister.
If our services have to close, those
who currently avail of these ser-
vices will have nowhere to go. Most
of our clients are social welfare
c l a iman ts w ho simply cannot
afford paid legal services. Many are
the victims of family breakups and
may need immediate advice as to
what they can do to obtain a
barring order or to get money to
suppo rt t hemse l ves and their
families. Such people frequently
c a n n ot get adv i ce f r om t he
government scheme. There are
waiting lists of six months and
more in many centres. We have
been told by one centre that their
waiting list is over 12 months.
We feel that FLAC's services are
essential and cannot be allowed to
close. The Government, and in
particular the Minister for Justice,
must provide funding for this
service. However, we are also
appealing to our many friends for
whatever support, financial and
otherwise, they can give. In doing
so we are appealing directly to
those who have supported us down
through the years to stand by us in
this, our most difficult hour.
•
Mel Cousins
Administrator,
FLAC.
At the Kerry Law Society Annual Dinner at Benners Hotel, Tralee, on Saturday,
7
December, 1991. Seated from left to right: Mr. Justice H. J. OTIaherty, Supreme
Court, Dona/ E. Browne, President, Kerry Law Society, Mrs. Louise McDonagh,
County Registrar, Mr. Justice Richard Johnson, High Court. Standing from left:
Michael O'Connell, Chairman, Kerry Law Society, Michael Davy, Secretary, Law
Society of Northern Ireland, Frank Daly, Vice President, Incorporated Law Society
of Ireland, Noel C. Ryan, Director General, Incorporated Law Society of Ireland,
and Joseph B. Mannix, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Kerry Law Society.