Latest News, Issues & Events

1. FLAC welcomes the Minister for Justice’s explicit commitments to civil legal aid reform and additional funding for the Civil Legal Aid scheme. Issued 15 July 2026 The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan TD launched FLAC’s 2025 Annual Report – Making the Case for Change – on Monday, 13 July. In his remarks at the launch event, …
2. Legal NGO FLAC launches Annual Report; Reports a 10-year high in legal queries answered by its phoneline and calls for urgent action in response to the deepening “legal aid crisis” Issued 13 July 2026 Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan TD launched FLAC’s 2025 Annual Report, titled “Making the Case for Change” on Monday, 13 July 2026.  FLAC (Free Legal Advice …
3. Independent Law Centres warn that last-minute amendments to Housing Bill will deprive homeless people of access to emergency shelter and leave them at risk of destitution Issued 8 July 2026 Five of Ireland’s Independent Law Centres have expressed their serious concerns about Report Stage amendments to the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous …
4. FLAC welcomes Oireachtas Committee’s call for “urgent reform of the Civil Legal Aid system”; Minister must take action amidst “warnings that the system could collapse” Issued 2 July 2026 FLAC has welcomed the publication of the Oireachtas Justice Committee’s Report on Civil Legal Aid which highlights a “a serious and growing [civil legal aid] crisis”. …
5. FLAC calls on Minister to carry out a major redraft of controversial Judicial Review Bill in light of Oireachtas Justice Committee report recommendations, and to undertake consultation and research before any changes proceed Issued 26 June 2026 FLAC has welcomed the publication of the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs & Migration’s Report on Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Civil …
6. Joint Statement - Independent Law Centres express “grave concerns” about rushed Housing Bill which could result in a rise in Homelessness & Rough-Sleeping Issued 10 June 2026 Five of Ireland’s Independent Law Centres have written to the Minister for Housing and the Oireachtas Housing Committee to express their serious concerns about the Housing …
7. “Hands Off the Referee”: Civil society says political pressure on human rights courts risks damaging the ECHR system Issued 15 May 2026 Civil society organisations in the UK and Ireland are concerned that the new Council of Europe political declaration on migration released on the 15th May at a Council of …
8. Groups North and South of Ireland Unite to Warn UK and Ireland Against Weakening Human Rights Issued 12 May 2026 Groups North and South of Ireland Unite to Warn UK and Ireland Against Weakening Human Rights: Joint letter sent to UK Prime Minister and Irish Taoiseach ahead of Council of …
9. FLAC notes proposed changes to forthcoming judicial review Bill; however significant concerns remain Issued 5 May 2026 FLAC had raised concerns that the proposals in the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill constitute a radical curtailment of access to judicial review, and are likely to …
10. FLAC welcomes comments from President Connolly regarding civil legal aid, “unmet legal need” and the “many barriers that remain to be overcome” in achieving access to justice in Ireland Issued 29 April 2026 President Catherine Connolly spoke yesterday (28 April) at the launch of the first Dublin branch of the University of Galway Business and Law Alumni. FLAC welcomes her …
11. Government’s judicial review reform proposals could block constitutional challenges & cases about access to basic public services, FLAC warns Justice Committee Issued 24 March 2026 FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) has appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs & Migration this afternoon (24 March) as part of the …
12. FLAC: This International Women’s Day we need Access to Justice to make Women’s Rights Real and Effective #IWD2026 Issued 4 March 2026 In advance of International Women’s Day 2026, FLAC has written to members of the Oireachtas to highlight the barriers to justice faced by women in Ireland, including a …
13. Deaf man receives landmark award from WRC for disability discrimination by the National Council for Special Education Issued 18 February 2026 Noel O’Connell (a deaf man represented by FLAC) has succeeded in a disability discrimination complaint against the National Council for Special Education (‘NCSE’) under …
14. Urgent reform needed to avoid the collapse of Ireland’s system of Civil Legal Aid during 2026, FLAC tells Oireachtas Justice Committee Issued 17 February 2026 FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) has appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs & Migration this afternoon (17 February) as part of the …
15. Major FLAC & TCD Law School Conference on Civil Legal Aid: FLAC highlights “deepening of access to justice crisis” and risk of collapse of Legal Aid services during 2026 Issued 12 January 2026 FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) and the Law School at Trinity College Dublin will hold a major day-long conference, titled Civil Legal Aid: From Review to Reform, …