Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC)

Lobbying Organisation Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC)

Date published 18 Sep, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details Reform of the scheme of civil legal aid and implementation of the civil legal aid review.

Intended results To outline FLAC’s views on the need for reform of the civil legal aid scheme, the need for resourcing of the scheme, the form and extent of reform and investment required and the need for implementation of the recommendations to arise from the review of the civil legal aid scheme completed in 2025.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Christopher Bowes, Eilis Barry, Fiona Donson.

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

Emails (and letters sent by email) to the office of the Minister for Justice to invite him to launch the FLAC 2025 Annual Report and to arrange for his attendance at the report launch and related matters date 17 and 29 June and 1, 7, 8 10 and 14 July.

Meeting (1)

Remarks made by Eilis Barry at the launch of the Oireachtas Justice Committee report on Civil Legal Aid on 2 July 2026 and discussion with the Chair of that Committee.

Meeting (1)

Remarks made by (and discussion with the Minister by) Eilis Barry and Fiona Donson at the FLAC Annual Report Launch on 12 July 2026.

Email (1)

Letter sent by email on 30 July 2026 to the Minister for Justice

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jim O'Callaghan Minister (Department of Justice)

Mark Ward TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Anne Rabbitte Senator (Seanad)