The number of people looking for free legal assistance to sort out debt issues had increased four fold in the last three years.
The number of people looking for free legal assistance to sort out debt issues had increased four fold in the last three years.
The Free Legal Advice Centre says it received almost 11,000 queries last year at almost 90 legal advice centres nationwide in addition to almost 10,000 telephone calls.
While the majority of queries tend to relate to family law, there was a 400% increase in queries relating to debt over the last three years.
Over 650 voluntary solicitors and barristers offer advice through the Free Legal Advice Centres.
Calls relating to employment law and rights of those facing redundancy were also on the up, reflecting the rising rate of those out of work in the last three years.
Some14% of queries at advice centres related to work issues.
FLAC says the most common calls and queries it receives are reflective of the overall economic situation, 17% of employment law queries relate to redundancy, 25% to dismissal.
Director Noeline Blackwell notes in the annual report that FLAC had warned about the dangers of widespread credit and light touch regulation as far back as 2003.
She says that despite current difficulties the organisation will continue to work to ensure the right to access to justice is defended and promoted.
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