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'Civil Legal Aid: From Review to Reform' - A Conference

12 January 2026

'Civil Legal Aid: From Review to Reform' - A conference being held by FLAC in collaboration with the Trinity College Dublin School of Law.

This day-long conference will take place on Monday, 12th January 2026 from 9am in the Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin. You can register for the conference here.

The Review to Reform Conference will bring together Ireland’s access to justice stakeholders and experts to respond to the Review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme and to reflect on how we can work to achieve meaningful reform.

For a number of reasons, the next twelve months represent a golden (and rare) opportunity for comprehensive reform of Ireland’s system of civil legal aid and to resolve a multifaceted legal aid crisis:

· In July 2025, the Minister for Justice published the reports to emerge from the Review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme which was the first comprehensive examination of civil legal aid in Ireland in almost 50 years. A minority report prepared by FLAC Chief Executive Eilis Barry and supported by Professor Thomas O’Malley SC was submitted to the Minister.

· The Department of Justice and the OECD recently completed Ireland’s first national Legal Needs Survey, the full results of which are awaited.

· Ireland must implement the EU Migration Pact by mid-2026. This will require the State to provide ‘legal counselling’ to applicants for international protection, alongside sweeping changes to the application process.

· Ireland’s EU Commissioner, Michael McGrath, holds the Justice Portfolio (which includes responsibility for democracy, the rule of law, equality, civil society, fundamental rights and consumer protection). Ireland will hold the EU Presidency in the second half of 2026 and has the opportunity to make access to justice and the rule of a law a core theme of the presidency.

 

   Full Programme for the Conference.

         CIVIL LEGAL AID: FROM REVIEW TO REFORM

Monday, 12 January 2026 from 9am in the Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin.

The Review to Reform Conference brings together Ireland’s access to justice stakeholders and experts to respond to the Review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme and to reflect on how we can work to achieve meaningful reform.

Conference Running Order

Time

Topic

Speaker(s)

9:30am

(10 mins)

Welcome Remarks

Prof. Gerry Whyte (Academic Sponsor)

Prof. Fiona Donson (Acting FLAC Chair)

9:40am

(15 mins)

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs & Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD

9:55am

(15 mins)

The Chief Justice, The Hon. Mr Justice Donal O’Donnell

10:10am

(20 mins)

Keynote Address: Prof. Síofra O’Leary (Former President of the European Court of Human Rights)

10:30am

(20 mins)

Tea & Coffee Break

10:50am

(20 mins)

Eilis  Barry (FLAC Chief Executive)

 

 

 

11:10am

(1 hour, 15 mins)

Panel: Stakeholder Response to the Review

Chair: TBC

  • Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner, Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission.
  • Nuala Egan SC, Chair of the Legal Aid Board
  • Angela Denning, CEO of the Courts Service.
  • Seán Guerin SC, Chair of the Bar Council
  • Siún Hurley, Chair, Family and Child Law Committee of the Law Society of Ireland

12:25pm

(35 Minutes)

The EU, the Rule of Law & Access to Justice

Chair: Prof. Cathryn Costello (UCD)

EU Commissioner Michael McGrath

1:00pm

(45 mins)

Lunch

 

1:45pm

(1 hour, 30 mins)

Panel: Academic Response to the Review

Chair: The Hon. Ms Justice Siobhán Phelan

  • Prof. Gerry Whyte (TCD)
  • Prof. Thomas O’Malley SC
  • Dr Lara MacLachlan (University of Bristol)
  • Prof. Áine Ryall (UCC)
  • Prof. David Fennelly SC (TCD)
  • Prof. Fiona Donson (UCC)

 

3:15pm

(1 hour)

Breakout Panel Discussions (30 mins) & Workshops (30 mins)

Room 1: Legal Aid, Administrative Decisions & Quasi-Judicial Tribunals

  • Chair: Christopher Bowes (Policy & Public Affairs Manager, FLAC)
  • Mary Heavey (Housing & Social Welfare Solicitor, Community Law & Mediation)
  • Kate Heffernan (Solicitor, Mercy Law Resource Centre)
  • Gwendolen Morgan (Registrar to the Workplace Relations Commission)

Room 2: Access to Justice for Travellers

  • Chair: Sinéad Lucey (Managing Solicitor, FLAC)
  • Maria Joyce (Coordinator, National Traveller Women’s Forum)

Room 3: Legal Aid, Accessibility & Disability Justice

  • Chair: Ciarán Finley (Senior Policy/Public Affairs Advisor, National Disability Authority)
  • Dr Charles O’Mahony (University of Galway)
  • Damien Walshe (Chief Executive, Independent Living Movement Ireland)
  • Robbie Sinnott (Coordinator, Voice of Vision Impairment)

Room 4: Access to Justice for Migrants & International Protection Applicants

  • Chair: Katie Mannion (Managing Solicitor, Irish Refugee Council)
  • Catherine Cosgrave (Managing Solicitor, Immigrant Council of Ireland)
  • Prof. Clíodhna Murphy (Maynooth University)
  • Maria Elena Costa Sa (Human Rights and Community Development Lead, Irish Network Against Racism)

Room 5: Access to Justice for People in Prison

  • Chair: Saoirse Brady (Executive Director, Irish Penal Reform Trust)
  • Dr. Amina Adanan (Maynooth University)

Room 6: Environmental Justice

  • Chair: Prof. Áine Ryall (UCC)
  • Aoife Kelly-Desmond (CEO, Community Law & Mediation)
  • Prof. Orla Kelleher (Maynooth University)
  • Deirdre Duffy (CEO, Friends of the Earth)

Room 7: Access to Justice for Victims of Domestic Violence

  • Chair: Erin Brogan (Telephone Information and Referral Line Development Manager, FLAC)
  • Sarah Benson (CEO, Women’s Aid)
  • Keith Walsh SC (Keith Walsh Solicitors)

Room 8: FLAC Student Societies & the Campaign for Civil Legal Aid Reform

  • Chair: Colm O'Halloran (Campaigns & Communications Officer, FLAC)

4:15pm

(40 minutes)

Reports from the Chairs of the Breakout Panels & Workshops

Chair: Christopher Bowes (Policy & Public Affairs Manager, FLAC)

4:55pm

End of Conference

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