Former Irish Bar Council chairman Turlough O'Donnell has said at the launch of the Voluntary Assistance Scheme (VAS) 2011 Annual Report that in this time of economic uncertainty, the VAS and non-governmental organisations, voluntary groups and charities will increasingly be necessary to ensure access to justice.
The VAS was established by the Bar Council in 2004 and provides legal assistance from barristers to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and voluntary groups. It has a mandate to deal with situations in which there is unmet legal need. NGOs and charities approach the VAS themselves directly, who then seek to match the piece of work with a suitable barrister. It connects legal need in NGOs with legal expertise and it does not provide direct assistance to individuals - rather, it focuses its work at an organisational level. In July 2011, PILA was delighted to support the VAS and the Law Society in organising a very well-attended education forum for NGOs.
The report states that work taken on by the VAS since its launch has predominantly been of an advisory and non-litigious nature, for nearly 100 organisations throughout Ireland. Since 2007 there has been a marked rise in cases relating to mortgage or debt issues. The report states that money advices from the Money Advice and Budgeting Service are one of the most frequent uses of the scheme. In 2011, a barrister has taken on proceedings that relate to the enforcement of a building dispute arbitration award, with the assistance of law firm Eugene F. Collins.
Jeanne McDonagh, Administrator of the VAS, says "VAS covers a wide range of unmet legal work and clients, which continues to grow as knowledge of the scheme spreads. It is unfortunate that there is a necessity for such a scheme but until the Legal Aid scheme is properly funded and staffed, its existence brings some relief to people with no other hope of accessing legal services. It is one of the Bar Council's proudest achievements and resonates with each member of the Bar as a necessary and vital part of a barristers' function in society."
Click here to find out more about the VAS.
Click here to see the VAS' Annual Report in full.