Legal Aid Board opens new national centre in Dublin

The Legal Aid Board has opened a new national centre in Dublin, which is expected to help almost 3,000 people in its first year.

It is the 34th centre to provide access to civil legal aid and advice to those who otherwise would not afford it.

The services at the centre, which is located in Ballymun, include supported decision-making under the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and the Minceir/Traveller Legal Support Service.

The board’s family mediation service will be co-located at the centre to assist families who are divorcing, separating or living apart.

The service includes child-inclusive and child-centered mediation.

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 the State, family mediation and vulnerable witness.

Advice is offered primarily through a network of 34 full-time law centres with three part-time centres by solicitors employed by the board.

Specific law centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway, include an international protection specialty and there are also dedicated units in Dublin dealing with medical negligence/personal injury cases and cases involving children at risk.

The board also engages private solicitors in certain areas of law in District Court family law matters, Circuit Court judicial separation and divorce cases as well as international protection cases.

It has been estimated that the new centre will help 2,800 people in its first year.

This figure is based on the average amount of people (2,792) that used the Legal Aid Board’s services in north Dublin between 2021 and 2023.