Councillor says re-offenders shouldn’t get free legal aid
A Galway councillor has called for a ban on free legal aid for repeat offenders – which costs around €1,000 per case – branding it a waste of taxpayers’ money.
City-based Independent councilor Mike Cubbard said the State is coughing up around €50 million per annum for the system, which provides legal representation in criminal cases for those who are deemed unable to afford it.
Cllr Cubbard – who is also a General Election candidate for Galway West – said that many people before the courts in Galway are repeat offenders who terrorise communities.
He has proposed that free legal aid be granted on one occasion, and any subsequent cases be paid by the defendant on an instalment basis.
“Many defendants before the courts are repeat offenders who terrorise and cause immense pain and heartache to families, businesses and communities in terms of burglaries, theft or possession of illegal substances, yet it’s the taxpayer who funds their defence time after time.
“I believe we must introduce a system where a person is only entitled to free legal aid on one occasion.
“If they are a repeat offender thereafter, they must then pay their own legal costs on an instalment basis directly from their means of income. Based on figures received from the Department, it is costing on average €1,000 per case,” said Cllr Cubbard.
Figures from the Department of Justice show that around €51m was spent on free legal aid in Ireland last year in just under 50,000 cases.
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.