Department of Justice still working on criminal legal aid bill

The Department of Justice is continuing to prepare a draft bill to transfer the administration of criminal legal aid to the Legal Aid Board.

Senator John O’Mahony, speaking in the Seanad on behalf of Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, said the Department is still in the process of preparing the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill 2017.

The former Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said in March that the drafting was at “an advanced stage”.

Senator O’Mahony said: “The key purpose of the draft legislation is, subject to Government approval, to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme from the Department to the Legal Aid Board with the purpose of ensuring that best practice financial management and control are exercised and to give effect to Government Programme commitments on criminal legal aid.”