The Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) 2022 annual report shows that more than 13,500 people asked for help, with a record number of family-law queries.

Chief executive Eilis Barry (pictured) said that at least 4,466 callers were not able to get through to oversubscribed phonelines, while chair David Fennelly, in the 2022 annual report, pointed to significant access-to-justice problems in Ireland.

Unmet needs

The report provided much evidence of the known unmet legal need in Ireland, he adds.

Barry said that gaps remained, despite additional resources from pro bono partners Arthur Cox and Matheson.

Calls dealt with issues such as:

• Family law,
• Employment law,
• Domestic violence,
• Contract terms,
• Dismissals,
• Bullying/harassment,
• Discrimination, and
• Maternity leave.

A total of 2,063 callers with employment-law queries contacted FLAC during 2022. There is no legal aid available in employment claims before the WRC, so no avenue for those who cannot afford a solicitor, or who are not members of a trade union, to receive legal assistance.

Social welfare and discrimination issues made up 85 active casefiles.

Family-law queries amounted to 30% of calls with queries in relation to divorce/separation, custody/access/guardianship, maintenance, domestic violence, family homes and civil partnerships.

Employment-law queries were 15% of calls, while 7% of all calls (970) were from lay litigants – an increase of 15% since last year and the highest number since FLAC started recording this category in 2016.

Of these, 8% had an employment-law query. Almost half (49%) had a family-law issue and 5% had a debt-related query.