The Gazette 1988

GAZETTE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1988

Dail Debates

finalised and will be given priority by the Government as soon as I go to them w i th recommendations."

HANDWRITING & SUSPECT DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

Civil Legal A i d Scheme On the same date Mr. Mervyn Taylor asked the Minister for Jus t i ce to make a s t a t ement regarding the operation of the Civil Legal A id Scheme i nd i ca t i ng whether, in the Minister's opinion, it provided an adequate system to aid people who could not afford recourse to the law from their own resources and, if not, if he would make a statement regarding the ex t ens i on to the scheme he intended to introduce in 1988 in order that Ireland would fully meet its obligations under the Human Rights Convention. In his reply the Minister indicated that he was aware that the Legal A i d Board cons i de r ed t h at additional law centres were needed but that there was no realistic p r ospect t h at t he add i t i onal resources that would be required for any f u r t her expansion of services under the Scheme could be provided at present due to the critical position of the public finances. The estimates allocation for 1988 for Civil Legal Aid had no provision for an expansion of services. In a supplementary question Mr. Taylor asked w h at t he Government's position was, so far as their responsibilities under the Human Rights Convention were concerned, and in his reply the Minister stated that the European Court in the Airey case of 1979 did not decide that Ireland was in contravention of the Convention because the scheme of Civil Legal A i d and Ad v i ce was not in existence at the time. Legal aid as such was not the issue and the Court had already ruled that there was no direct right to legal aid by virtue of the provisions of the Convention. The Minister added that he could understand that there was a need for an expansion of the service as everybody in the House accepted, but as of now, having regard to the financial constraints within which he had to operate, there was no possibility in the immediate future of expanding the service. •

So l i c i t ors Ac t s, 1 9 5 4 - 6 0 Question Time — 10th November 1987 In reply to questions raised by Ms. Quill and Mr. J. Higgins the Minister for Justice (Mr. Collins) said: — " A review of the Solicitors Acts 1954 — 6 0 has been a l mo st finalised in my Department and I hope to be in a position to submit c omp r e h e n s i ve p r oposa ls for amend i ng l eg i s l a t i on to t he Government very shortly. The proposals will take account of the recommendations of the Restrictive Practices Commission in the report of their inquiry into the effects on competition of the restrictions on conveyancing and the restrictions on advertising by solicitors, wh i ch was completed in 1982." In a supplementary question Ms. Harney T.D. asked "Wou ld he (the Mi n i s t e r) agree t h at t he introduction of advertising will greatly reduce fees and is he aware that this is now the norm in the United Kingdom where it has resulted in a decrease of 9 per cent in conveyancing fees during the Past 12 months? Would he further agree that if solicitors, accountants and perhaps auctioneers could pool their resources and act jointly together, obviously, in the interest of the client, it would be cheaper, more efficient and better for the companies concerned?" Mr. Collins replied " I would like to assure the Deputy that all the matters raised by her have been taken into consideration and that my views will be conveyed to the Government. The decision of the Go v e r nment on t he issue in question will be announced as soon as a decision is arrived at." Other supplementary questions were raised by Mr. McCartan, Mr. McDowell, Mr. Taylor, Mr. J. Burton and Mr. T. Fitzpatrick. In the course o f his replies Mr. Co l l i ns emphasised that the proposed •egislation would be available "very shortly". He went on to say " The review of the Acts has been almost

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ESSAYS IN MEMORY OF ALEXIS FITZGERALD

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