Legal Aid Board Publishes its Statement of Strategy 2024 - 2026

29th April 2024: The Legal Aid Board has today published their Statement of Strategy for 2024-2026. The new Strategy sets out a comprehensive framework to enhance the delivery of civil legal aid and family mediation services to the public. The Legal Aid Board has placed a strong focus on community service, alternative dispute resolution, and civil justice reform. Taken together, the actions under these three areas will see the Legal Aid Board create positive impact for the public in keeping with its mission and ambition as a public body carrying out important functions in the public interest.

Speaking on the launch of the Strategy, CEO of the Legal Aid Board, Joan Crawford commented:

“For nearly three decades, the Legal Aid Board has been steadfast in offering expert legal advice and representation to our clients. Over the years, we have expanded our services, including the addition of the Family Mediation Service, solidifying our position as a respected agency offering legal and mediation services to the public. Our journey, one we are immensely proud of, continues to evolve, presenting new challenges and inspiring us to excel. Itis on this journey that we introduce the Statement of Strategy for 2024-2026.”

This Strategy comes at a pivotal moment for the Legal Aid Board, not only coinciding with the one year anniversary of the CEO, Joan Crawford, but also the recent appointment of the new chairperson, Nuala Egan SC.

Commentating at the launch of the Strategy, Chairperson of the Legal Aid Board, Nuala Egan SC added:

“This Strategy, launched at the start of my tenure as Chairperson of the Legal Aid Board, encompasses our purpose, mission, vision, and values, while also addressing key objectives and challenges. With a strong focus on community service, alternative dispute resolution, and civil justice reform, this Strategy emphasises quality, inclusivity, and transparency – principles that we hold in the highest of regards.”

Minister of Justice Helen McEntee provided the final remarks at the launch:

“The Legal Aid Board plays a vital role in Irish society, providing legal aid, advice and representation in order to support people of limited means access justice in civil law matters. Its Family Mediation Service supports many families each year to reach early agreements on a range of different family law matters stemming from separation and relationship breakdown.

“The emphasis of the Board’s Statement of Strategy for 2024-2026 on service to the community, alternative dispute resolution and civil justice reform is to be welcomed, as are the principles underpinning the Board’s work, as set out in the Strategy: quality, inclusivity and transparency. The Board is an important part of many of the reforms being progressed by my Department, including family Justice, the Review of Civil Legal Aid and broader civil justice reform.

This new Statement of Strategy sets out a comprehensive framework to enhance the delivery of civil legal aid and family mediation services to the public. The Strategy has a strong focus on community service, alternative dispute resolution, and civil justice reform. The Strategy comes at a pivotal moment for the Legal Aid Board, coinciding with the one year anniversary of the CEO, Joan Crawford, and the recent appointment of the new Chairperson, Nuala Egan SC.

“I would like thank the staff of the Legal Aid Board for their continued public service and provision of support for many people throughout Ireland. I would like to pay particular tribute to Joan Crawford for her leadership and work since becoming CEO of the Board almost one year ago."

“I would also like to thank Nuala Egan for her work as Chairperson of the Board since her appointment to the role earlier this year, building on her many previous years of service as a member of the Board.”

The implementation of this strategy will be monitored and reviewed by the Legal Aid Board and the Executive Management Team. Full details as regards the Strategy’s progress will also be published in each year’s Annual Report on the Legal Aid Board website.

ENDS