The Legal Aid Board has published updated guidance notes in relation to the operation of the Garda Station Legal Advice Scheme and has introduced a single application/claim form – GLAS1 – in place of the previous GSAS1, GSAS2 and GSAS3 forms. The guidance notes and new GLAS1 form are available to download from the members’ area of the Society’s website and from the Legal Aid Board website. The Legal Aid Board also intends furnishing hard copies of the GLAS1 form to solicitors’ practices in due course.

Members should note that, while claims will still be accepted on the old forms for a limited period, it is envisaged that, after 1 July 2012, only claims submitted on the new form will be accepted for processing. Completed GLAS1 forms should be submitted to the Legal Aid Board, Garda Station Legal Advice Scheme, Criminal Legal Aid Section, 47 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2 (DX 139 Dublin).

Also, the administration of the Attorney General’s Ad Hoc Legal Aid Scheme will be transferred to the Legal Aid Board with effect from 1 June 2012. The completed ‘Ad-hoc Legal Aid Scheme (Attorney General) Claim Form’ (which is available on the Law Society and Legal Aid Board websites), together with copy initiating and final orders and original invoices (setting out itemised accounts for the various aspects of the claim), should be submitted to the Legal Aid Board, Attorney General’s Scheme, Criminal Legal Aid Section, at the board’s Mount Street address. Queries in relation to individual claims or the implementation of the Attorney General’s Scheme may be directed to the above address or to tel: 01 644 1913.