Located on the second floor of Bridgewater House on Rockwood Parade, the new centre is the latest in the agency’s network of 30 full-time law centres and 17 mediation offices across the State.

Speaking at the opening event, James Browne, minister of state with responsibility for law reform, said: “I wish to acknowledge the pivotal role that the Legal Aid Board plays in society, providing as it does both legal aid in civil law matters to those who cannot afford legal representation, and a mediation service, which seeks to resolve family disputes without recourse to legal proceedings.

“The development of a co-located office here in Sligo is a significant development in the provision of the Board’s services in the North West region. A person who comes seeking the assistance of the Board will already be in a difficult personal situation and may assume that the legal avenue is the only option open to them to address their situation. Having the mediation service physically adjacent to the civil legal aid service provides convenience to the client and will encourage referrals between the two services where this is appropriate having regard to the circumstances of the individual.”

A person seeking to avail of mediation to assist with the resolution of a family problem can apply to any of the Legal Aid Board’s family mediation offices. The second party also needs to contact the same office to confirm his or her interest in attending mediation. There is no charge for the mediation service and it is not means tested.

Nuala Jackson SC, chairperson of the Legal Aid Board, said: “We are focusing closely on the potential for the family mediation services provided by the Board to become more central to our overall offering to persons who may otherwise assume that formal and often adversarial court proceedings are the only viable option in family breakdown situations.

“While it is clear that there must be a court process to resolve certain family situations, where the parties are willing, I believe that mediation can and will play an increasingly important role in resolving difficult family breakdown situations, which will benefit those involved and also the wider family law system and indeed with significant societal advantage.”