You're a wholesome, law-abiding type, right? Okay, so you've taken a couple of traffic cones home after a couple of drinks, but for the most part. I mean, you're not money laundering or operating a brothel from your parents' spare bedroom... So you're not going to need any legal advice, are you?

Even the best of us can find ourselves in situations that we need help to wrangle our way out of. Maybe a landlord won't return your deposit because they say you've damaged their property. Perhaps you're boss is a bit of a jerk and won't pay you wages you're owed. Your local Students' Union is always a good first port of call when you need a bit of help, but unfortunately, lawyers we're not. So here's some other helpful folks you can call on in times of legal trouble.

Remember: Every person living in Ireland has a set of rights and responsibilities under the law of the land. When faced with a legal problem get some professional advice as soon as possible.

Legal Aid Board

The Legal Aid Board will offer legal advice and representation at a minimum cost to those below a certain means.  How much you contribute to the costs of getting advice and pursuing your particular case will depend on how much you earn, how much your parents earn, and so on. The minimum charge is €10 for advice and €50 for going to court.

The Board gives the following examples of what they most commonly deal with: divorce, legal separation, custody of children, maintenance, domestic violence matters, some tenant and landlord disputes (nothing that would be handled by the PRTB (see our accommodation leaflet for more info), problems with hire-purchase and contracts.  The Board does not deal with criminal cases and if you need help with representation in a criminal matter and want legal aid you should seek the advice of the clerk or registrar of the court concerned.

There is a waiting time to be assigned a solicitor but one will be given as soon as possible in a high priority case, that is where there are time constraints or safety concerns.

FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres)

FLAC is an independent, human rights non-governmental organisation that aims to increase access to justice. It offers legal info and advice on a range of legal issues, with a particular focus on social welfare law, credit and debit law, civil legal aid and public interest law/human rights.

FLAC operates a lo-call telephone information and referral line that offers basic, first-stop legal information. Legal advice is provided by professional lawyers at centres all over the country, some of which require prior appointment, and some of which are drop-in - check the website for details.

The site also offers handy downloadable guides to a range of legal issues, including maintenance, child and family law, changing your name by deed poll and the Small Claims Court. These guides are updated regularly, so keep the site bookmarked!

Check out www.citizensinformation.ie for more information on the Irish justice system and other legal matters.

Legal Aid Board (Dublin Office)
47, Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6441900 E: info@legalaidboard.ie Web: www.legalaidboard.ie

Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC)
13, Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1. Tel: 01 8745690 E: info@flac.ie Web: www.flac.ie