Bill to transfer criminal legal aid to Legal Aid Board at ‘advanced stage’

Legislation to transfer the administration of criminal legal aid to the Legal Aid Board will be laid before TDs “as early as is feasible”, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said.

Ms Fitzgerald said that work on the preparation of a draft General Scheme of a Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill is at an advanced stage.

Answering a Dáil question, she added: “The key purpose of the legislation is to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to the Legal Aid Board and to give effect to Government Programme commitments in respect of criminal legal aid, including introducing a more rigorous and objective means testing system for criminal legal aid, provision for contributions, and new sanctions.

“It is my intention to seek approval of Government for the General Scheme of the Bill and submit it to the Oireachtas for pre-legislative scrutiny as early as is feasible in 2017.”