Latest News, Issues & Events
Draft debt resolution scheme is a significant advance
[Press Release] - January 25, 2012
FLAC said on 25 January 2012 that the publication of a draft debt resolution scheme today is a significant advance to address the problems of seriously over indebted households in Ireland.The legal rights organisation welcomed the Minister for Justice & Equality's announcement that the overall scheme of the legislation will [ ... ]
Danger of giving banks veto on personal debt resolution
[Press Release] - January 23, 2012
Following on the announcement on Friday last that the government has sought to further delay the issue of the personal insolvency legislation, and amid rampant speculation on the shape of that legislation, legal rights organisation FLAC warned today of the danger of handing banks a veto on which debts will [ ... ]
FLAC: Disappointment at further delays on insolvency bill
[Press Release] - January 20, 2012
Following reports that the government seeks to defer the publication of new bankruptcy laws by a further month to the end of April 2012, Noeline Blackwell, Director General of legal rights organisation FLAC, said that she was 'deeply disappointed' with the news."This legislation is sorely needed to give people a [ ... ]
Fully qualified solicitors and barristers are needed in the FLAC centres around the country
[Volunteers] - December 15, 2011
FLAC is looking for fully qualified solicitors and barristers to volunteer in its centres. We are currently recruiting for Dundalk, Co. Louth, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Arklow and Wicklow in Co. Wicklow. We are also looking for Irish speaking volunteers to Gaoth Dobhair, Cork and Dublin and Employment [ ... ]
Legal Services Bill 2011
[Speech] - December 14, 2011
A presentation by Noeline Blackwell to the Irish Women Lawyers Association, 26 November 2011.(In PDF format)
State must address "human cost" of not aiding access to law
[Press Release] - December 01, 2011
At a lecture in Dublin this evening Baroness Nuala O'Loan identified the twin barriers of an overly complex legal system and high costs as huge obstacles for people who need to access law. She contrasted huge expenditure on Tribunals of Inquiry with the dwindling funding allocated to assist people in [ ... ]
Human rights defender jailed in Belarus - call for action on his release
[News] - November 24, 2011
Human rights are under attack in Europe with the arrest and now sentencing of activist Ales Bialiatski. Ales was given 4.5 years in jail for tax evasion on a grand scale' on Thursday morning, 24 November - a charge which international rights groups say is a cover-up for the state [ ... ]
New Home Mortgage Arrears Figures - Still No Effective Action, says FLAC
[Press Release] - November 18, 2011
Figures released today by the Central Bank in relation to residential mortgage arrears come a year and a day after the Cooney Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears issued its report and recommendations. According to legal rights group FLAC, at that time, 40,472 mortgages were in arrears. Today, the number of [ ... ]
Good Friday Agreement commitment to human rights still worth fighting for
[Press Release] - November 11, 2011
Changes to the UK's human rights regime proposed by the coalition government are a negative step and would undermine the practical successes of the 1998 Human Rights Act, the Director of a leading UK rights pressure group told almost 400 attendees at a conference on public interest law in Dublin [ ... ]
FLAC recruiting PILA Legal Officer
[News] - November 07, 2011
FLAC is seeking to recruit a Legal Officer for PILA. Key deliverables include a register of lawyers available to engage in pro bono work and significant capacity-building in NGOs working for social justice/human rights for marginalised and disadvantaged people.Please visit our vacancies page for further information and relevant attachments.
National organisations present key principles to overcome personal debt and mortgage arrears crisis
[Press Release] - October 19, 2011
A grouping of national organisations which advocate for people struggling with debt problems, including families at risk of losing their homes, warned today that the Government's response on this issue to date is inadequate. Launching a joint statement on key principles to overcome the personal debt and mortgage arrears crisis, [ ... ]
Mortgage arrears report lacks the urgency felt by over-indebted people
[Press Release] - October 12, 2011
Legal rights group FLAC said today that it was disappointed that a government-appointed group had failed to specifically acknowledge the range of problems besetting people in mortgage arrears. Equally, there was no urgent timeline for the implementation of proposals set out in the Keane report on strategies to assist distressed [ ... ]
Ireland commited to human rights, but not on all issues
[News] - October 11, 2011
FLAC welcomes the reaffirmation of Ireland's commitment to human rights made by Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter TD at Ireland's first Universal Periodic Review at the UN in Geneva on 6 October and which was restated on Monday 10 October at the UN Human Rights Council. However [ ... ]
UN examination of Ireland's human rights track record affects us all
[Press Release] - October 05, 2011
While Justice Minister Alan Shatter is defending Ireland's human rights performance at the UN headquarters in Geneva on Thursday morning, legal rights group FLAC has called on the government to maintain Ireland's track record on human rights even while facing up to budget realities. "Our international human rights obligations are [ ... ]
Advisors needed in the Finglas and Ballyfermot FLAC centres
[Volunteers] - September 28, 2011
FLAC (Free Legal Advise Centres) is looking for fully qualified solicitors and barristers to become advisors in Finglas and Ballyfermot FLAC centres in Dublin. Volunteer advisors will be asked to provide first stop legal information and advice to the members of the public in the centres one evening a month. [ ... ]