Latest News & Issues
Mortgage arrears figures for end of 2009 continue to cause worry
[Press Release] - March 03, 2010
Legal rights organisation FLAC today warned that information from the Financial Regulator on mortgage arrears for the last quarter of 2009 continues the upward trend in serious mortgage arrears since the last figures were issued for the previous quarter.Out of all residential mortgage accounts in the country, as of December [ ... ]
New mortgage arrears committee must provide solutions quickly
[Press Release] - February 26, 2010
Legal rights organisation FLAC today welcomed confirmation of the formation by the government of a group to deal with the issue of indebtedness. The group includes its Senior Policy Advisor, Paul Joyce.Mr. Joyce, a barrister, has been working on debt law reform as it affects consumers for almost a decade [ ... ]
Provision for asylum seekers fails to measure up under human rights law, 10 years on
[Press Release] - February 18, 2010
At a joint media event today in Dublin's Buswells Hotel to mark United Nations Social Justice Day, legal rights group FLAC called for full-scale reform of the system that provides for asylum seekers in Ireland. The event also screened a story from Living in Direct Provision, a collaboration between ISICI [ ... ]
Oireachtas committee echoes FLAC's call to take debts out of the courts
[Press Release] - February 16, 2010
Legal rights organisation FLAC today welcomed a report from an Oireachtas committee that calls for urgent new measures to tackle overindebtedness.The report from the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs on 'High Levels of Indebtedness in Irish Society' was launched today at 2pm in Leinster House. FLAC had contributed [ ... ]
Welcome focus by Minister Ryan on individual debt
[Press Release] - January 30, 2010
The non-governmental organisation FLAC today welcomed the announcement by Minister Eamon Ryan that the government will soon establish soon an expert panel to advise it in relation to mortgage debt. It also noted that the Minister has again expressed dissatisfaction with Ireland's archaic insolvency laws.FLAC has been campaigning for reform [ ... ]
Children's Law Centre NI seeks solicitor
[News] - January 18, 2010
The Children's Law Centre of Northern Ireland is seeking a solicitor (part-time 17 ½ hours per week, Ref: SOL01/10). Pay will be at NJC Scale 30 - 34 £25,472 - £28,636 per annum, pro rata or NJC Scale 38 - 44 £31,754 - £37,206 per annum, pro rata - commensurate [ ... ]
Solicitor sought for independent law centre - Dublin area
[News] - January 13, 2010
Solicitor required for newly established independent law centre working in the homeless sector. Some experience of litigation essential together with a demonstrable interest in working with people who are disadvantaged. Initial one year contract. Full-time position. Salary commensurate with experience. Starting date: April 2010.Job Description and application form available from [ ... ]
Mortgage arrears figures show alarming rise
[Press Release] - December 22, 2009
Legal rights organisation FLAC today warned that figures from the Financial Regulator on mortgage arrears to the end of September 2009 display a worrying upward trend in serious mortgage arrears.According to the last previous figures available on arrears, from June 2008, some 13,931 or 1.4% of number residential accounts were [ ... ]
Asylum-seeker exclusion is mean-minded
[Press Release] - December 10, 2009
The Government's proposal to amend the Social Welfare Act to exclude all asylum-seekers from qualifying for social welfare benefits is mean-minded, petty and divisive, said FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) last night.The Government proposal would mean that no-one who had not been given a right to reside in the State [ ... ]
Budget response to overindebtedness crisis is entirely inadequate
[Press Release] - December 09, 2009
FLAC Budget Statement 2010Independent legal rights group FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) has as its main aim to achieve equal access to justice. As part of this overarching goal, the organisation has a particular focus on issues affecting particular groups. Budget 2010 has serious implications for all of them.FLAC especially [ ... ]
Lecturer warns that debt is the over-riding social problem
[Press Release] - December 02, 2009
At a lecture on access to justice organised by the independent legal rights group, FLAC, the former independent Senator and Northern Ireland's former Ombudsman Dr Maurice Hayes warned that debt was the "over-riding social problem in the immediate and middle term future". He said that the focus on debt was [ ... ]
Dublin: Volunteer for One Family law reform submission
[Volunteers] - November 26, 2009
One Family, the support organisation for one-parent families, is currently preparing a submission to the Law Reform Comission's Consultation paper on 'Legal Aspects of Family Relationships'. They are looking for a volunteer legal expert to help prepare their response. In particular, they are looking for someone with an interest and [ ... ]
Consumer debt in Irish society: Presentation to LRC conference
[Speech] - November 19, 2009
Consumer debt in Irish societyPresentation to LRC conference 18 Nov 2009by Paul Joyce, Senior Policy Researcher, FLACIntroduction In the early 1990s, when I began working in the Free Legal Advice Centres, consumer credit as we now know it was fairly thin on the ground particularly for those on low incomes [ ... ]
Government cannot miss this chance to get it right on personal debt
[Press Release] - November 18, 2009
Independent legal rights body FLAC welcomed the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission on 'Reforming the Law on Personal Debt' at its conference in Dublin Castle today, hailing it as a very important step towards resolving problems of over-indebtedness in this country. However, it warned that the government must implement [ ... ]
FLAC welcomes bankers’ commitment to those facing difficulties with mortgage repayments.
[Press Release] - November 10, 2009
Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), an independent legal rights organisation, has welcomed the Irish Banking Federation statement of intent, which, it says will offer protection to some hard-pressed house owners.According to FLAC's director general Noeline Blackwell "It is helpful that the main banks have committed themselves to genuine discussions to [ ... ]