Ireland's Civil Legal Aid system is in crisis. The Law Society is calling for immediate investment to fix it.

The Oireachtas Justice Committee’s Report, published today (2 July 2026), highlights how vulnerable people, including victims of domestic violence, are struggling to secure legal representation. It also calls out retention challenges due to low rates of pay for legal practitioners.

The Report contains 30 recommendations, a number of which endorse proposals put forward by the Law Society. It follows the publication, by the Independent Review Group, chaired by former Chief Justice Mr Frank Clarke SC, of both a Majority and Minority report on the Civil Legal Aid Scheme in Ireland.

Rosemarie Loftus, President of the Law Society of Ireland, said:

“Decades of neglect and underfunding have left Ireland’s Civil Legal Aid Scheme a mere shadow of what it should be. This results in people being denied access to justice on a daily basis. The Civil Legal Aid Scheme is in crisis and in need of immediate reform. People are waiting too long for legal assistance. There are only a small handful of solicitors in Dublin who will accept a family law case under the Scheme and this pattern is repeated across the country. Practitioners are leaving the Private Practitioner Scheme, and the Legal Aid Board is being asked to do more with insufficient resources. Legal deserts are already a reality in parts of the country.

“We welcome the Justice Committee's recognition that meaningful reform must be built around a stronger, better resourced Legal Aid Board. The Law Society echoes the Justice Committee’s call for a coherent, phased, and sustainable approach to reform. The Report sets out a roadmap for implementation of reform, including the expansion of system capacity, the modernisation of eligibility and allowances, and the extension of scope and functions of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme.

“The Law Society reiterates our longstanding call for immediate investment and sustainable resourcing of the Legal Aid Board. Action is now needed to restore capacity to Civil Legal Aid and to future-proof this vital service.

“We look forward to continuing to work constructively with Government, the Legal Aid Board, the Joint Committee and other stakeholders to help deliver the reform that is clearly needed.”