The Gazette 1987

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1987

wise or learned men among you let them show it by their good lives with humility and wisdom in their actions". It is appropriate to extend a warm word of praise to the gallant efforts of the Free Legal Advice Centres which try to provide a voluntary service to some of the most vulnerable and oppressed groups in our society. Young solicitors and barristers, and some not so young, give freely of their expertise to advise and represent those who have welfare, employ- ment or family law problems. This is making a real contribution to a more just society. To carry on this service against a background of severe funding problems, as the Free Legal Advice Centres did over the past year, is a testimony of the true Christian concern for those who live in poverty. The record of these Centres in defending the in- terests of the voiceless is a welcome development for a pro- fession which has not always con- sidered areas such as social welfare legislation as a priority. The inclusion of this subject on the Law Society's curriculum has marked a growing realisation of the duty of solicitors towards the poor; may we hope to see their colleagues in the King's Inns follow suit in the near future? In this country, we have a grow- ing body of social legislation in the areas of health, welfare, housing provision and in the field of family law. Lawyers and the legal system play an important role in inter- preting the rights of individuals under this body of law. Unfor- tunately, the potential role of lawyers in this area is often severe- ly limited by the fact that the poor are intimidated by legal language, knowledge and processes which are so mystifying to the outsider. Access to legal service is also restricted because of financial con- siderations. The skeleton Civil Legal Aid Scheme operated by the State leaves much to be desired. The fact that its eight Centres operate only in urban areas, and that three of its four Dublin based centres are located in the City Cen- tre, means that vast tracts of rural areas and large suburban areas have no local service. And indeed, the means test operated under the scheme sets an income ceiling so low that it excludes many who

simply could not afford to pay the going rate for legal services. In the area of civil and human rights, the Christian teaching on justice offers a strong critique of the erosion of individual civil liber- ties. The implications of cases in a neighbouring jurisdiction which have received much publicity late- ly raise serious questions about the accountability of the criminal justice system in that country, and must place upon the Irish legal system an obligation to proceed very cautiously in any considera- tion of extraditing Irish citizens to that jurisdiction. Our own legal system must continue to examine very critically the operating of Sec- tion 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. The detention aspects of the new Criminal Justice Act provide a further op- portunity for our legal system to weigh up the rights of the in- dividual to civil liberties balanced against the defence of the State and the common good. The Christian lawyer must insist that in justice every human be treated with dignity and with respect. May I remind you of St. James who said "the wisdom that comes down from above is essen- tially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and con- siderate; it is full of compassion, and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it". In this Mass, let us now join in praying that in the coming year, as members of the legal profession in Ireland, you may live a life of Chris- tian fulfilment, answering Christ's challenge of love, to build a com- munity where, in the words of Isaiah, "my people will live in a peaceful home, in safe houses, in quiet dwellings, where integrity will bring peace, where justice will give lasting security". •

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