Free Legal Advice Centres

Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) is a non-profit human rights organisation that provide pro bono publico assistance via a network of legal advice clinics throughout the Republic of Ireland[1], as well as operating a free telephone information and referral line[2] and engaging in advocacy, campaigning and policy analysis work. FLAC has been involved in a number of notable cases including Airey v. Ireland.

Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC)
MottoPromoting Access to Justice.
FoundedApril 1969 by David Byrne, Denis McCullough, Vivian Lavan and Ian Candy in the Republic of Ireland
TypeNon-profit
NGO
Location
  • 85/86 Dorset Street Upper, Dublin, Ireland
FieldsHuman Rights Campaigning/Provision of basic free legal services.
Websitehttp://www.flac.ie

History

FLAC was created in April 1969, a group of law students who used their legal knowledge to provide advice and information to those who could not afford the fees involved. They promoted access to legal redress for all, regardless of economic status.

It was through this work that they hoped to advance their ultimate objective: influence the government into instituting a comprehensive plan providing civil legal aid to those in need. FLAC's operations expanded rapidly. By 1972, 2,437 cases had been handled. By 1974, this had risen to over 8,000.

In some ways, these efforts distracted from the greater campaign for state-funded civil legal aid. Yet, ultimately it was a threat by FLAC to withdraw these services which forced the government to take action on civil legal aid.[3]

Responding to FLAC's campaign, the government formed the Pringle Committee in 1974 to address the issue of civil legal aid in Ireland. Meanwhile, FLAC continued its own efforts, achieving one of its early ambitions in 1975 by opening the first community law centre in Ireland. In 1977, the Pringle Committee published its Report calling for the provision of state-funded legal aid centres and for individuals to be educated about their rights, echoing the demands made by FLAC.[4]

However, the government remained slow to implement the Pringle Report. FLAC would emerge as a central player in a case which finally induced the government to take action: the landmark ECHR case, Airey v. Ireland[5], which challenged the prohibitive costs of a legal separation as breaching an individual's access to justice. Supported by FLAC and represented by Mary Robinson, Josie Airey won her case against the state and assurances of an adequate scheme of legal aid were secured from the government. [6][7]

Since the 'Airey' case, FLAC has been involved in some of the most significant legal developments in Ireland's recent history. Among them was FLAC's representation of 1800 married women seeking arrears of social welfare which eventually (after further litigation) resulted in the Irish government paying £265 million in compensation to 70,000 women.[8][9] In 2009 FLAC established the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA)[10], in order to develop public interest law in Ireland - and PILA continues to effectively engage civil society and the legal community in advancing social change. 2015 saw the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act in Ireland following twenty years of campaigning and litigation by transgender woman Lydia Foy[11], supported by FLAC[12].

In 2019, the fiftieth year of FLAC, Irish President Michael D. Higgins opened FLAC's new headquarters at 85/86 Upper Dorset Street. [13]

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References
  1. "FLAC Legal Advice Clinics".
  2. "flac Telephone Information & Referral Line".
  3. "Too Little Too Late" by Don Buckley - Newspaper account of FLAC's threatened strike action leading to the formation of the Pringle Committee Publisher: The Irish Times 12 December 1974
  4. White, Gerry (2002). Social Inclusion and the Legal System: Public Interest Law in Ireland. Institute of Public Administration (published April 2002). p. 305. ISBN 978-1-902448-66-4. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  5. "Case of Airey v. Ireland".}
  6. "Access to Justice for All: The History of the Free Legal Advice Centres 1969-2003 by Padraig O'Morain". Printwell Co-operative. 2003.
  7. "I broke through all the red tape didn't I" by Mary Ireland- Newspaper account of the Airey ruling Publisher: The Irish Times 23 March 1979
  8. O’Morain, Padraig (May 11, 1995). "Governments ignored EU directive". The Irish Times.
  9. O’Morain, Padraig (May 11, 1995). "Bill to give before law to narrow the flaws of the civil legal aid scheme are not adequately addressed in the new Bill". The Irish Times.
  10. https://www.pila.ie/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Foy. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Free Legal Advice Centres, 'A story of great human proportions: Lydia Foy and the struggle for Transgender Rights in Ireland'" (PDF). May 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Higgins. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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