A woman whose husband kept her captive and threated to kill her has been denied a barring order because she was unable to pay a €130 legal "contribution" fee.
Despite being entitled to legal aid, her inability to pay the fee meant she was forced to represent herself in court. Meanwhile, her husband was able to afford a solicitor, who accused her of lying. She says the court proceedings left her feeling "tangled up" and "intimidated".
After the hearing, a one-week temporary bar was lifted, and her husband was allowed back in their house. Too scared to return home, the woman was left with no choice but to seek refuge via domestic violence services.
The Free Legal Advice Centre (Flac) have shared her case publicly to highlight the devastating consequences of the compulsory fee for those on low incomes in Ireland. The Law Society of Ireland has stood by Flac's call to drop the charge.
Even the United Nations has urged the Irish government to stop requiring survivors to pay a contribution fee. But so far, the government has ignored all pleas for change.
Please sign this petition to demand an end to the "contribution" fee for legal aid. Nobody should be denied justice or safety because they are poor. If enough of us sign, it will help put pressure on the government to get rid of the fee. It's time for us to tell the Irish government: Don't charge abuse survivors for their legal aid!
Charles Flanagan, TD, Secretary for Justice and Equality:
Low-income victims of crime, including domestic violence survivors, are being left without legal representation because they can't afford the contribution fee required to access legal aid.
Both Flac and The Law Society have called for an end to the contribution fee, to ensure that people struggling financially are not denied justice. The contribution fee is a barrier to legal aid and needs to be scrapped.
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