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Minister visits Law and Family Mediation Centre

Minister of State Niall Collins has been briefed on the work of the Legal Aid Board Law and Family Mediation Centre in Limerick.

The Lower Mallow Street centre provides civil legal aid and a free family-mediation service and assists around 1,414 people per year, with 873 accessing legal services and 541 availing of family mediation, at no cost.   

At the visit (11 April), LAB chief executive Joan Crawford said: “Legal aid and family mediation are a cornerstone of access to justice.

“This centre shows how community-based services can make a real difference. Each case resolved and each person supported signifies the importance of what we do.”

'Positive difference'

The minister said: “The Legal Aid Board’s work makes a hugely positive difference to thousands of people every year by ensuring that modest means or income is not a barrier to engaging with the legal system.”

The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for providing civil legal aid and advice in Ireland.

It operates 32 law centres nationally and administers a range of services – including legal representation, family mediation, and support for vulnerable witnesses.