How to Apply

You can now apply for civil legal aid and advice online using our Online Application Form, if you live in the Republic of Ireland and have access to a personal computer with internet access. Before you apply online we strongly recommend that you read the below information carefully. You can also send a completed Application Form to your local Law Centre.

What you will need to apply

You will need access to a personal computer with internet access. You will need to have to hand:

A payslip/P60, social welfare receipt, or Notice of Assessment from Revenue/Audited Accounts
Details of any other income you receive (e.g. maintenance payments)
Details of your income tax, PRSI, and USC payments (these will be on your payslip or Notice of Assessment).
Details of your monthly mortgage/rent payments
Approximate values of all of your capital assets except the house you live in
Values of any savings you have
Outstanding amounts on any loans/debts that you have

Checking your eligibility

You can use the online financial eligibility calculator.

The eligibility calculator checks your income and assets to see if you financially qualify for legal aid. It does not send any information to us and any information you enter is deleted afterwards.

The eligibility calculator only checks if you might financially qualify for legal aid. It will not tell you if you can actually get legal aid for your particular case. Your legal problem must be one that is covered by civil legal aid and if you need representation in court, we will examine the merits of your case.

Merits Test

If you need to go to Court, we will look at the merits of the case before we can allow a solicitor or barrister to represent you in Court.

We consider whether an average person would be willing to go to Court if they were paying for it with their own money. We also consider if a solicitor or a barrister acting reasonably would recommend that you go to court, knowing you were paying for it yourself and based on the facts of your case.

We may examine other factors such as:

Do you have grounds for taking the case, or defending the case the other person is taking against you?
Is it the best way of solving your dispute?
Would you be likely to win your case?
The cost to the taxpayer against the benefit you might receive if you win.

Where the welfare of a child is at stake – for example, in cases where the State is trying to take your children into care, or a dispute over who has custody of a child – we will not take into account whether or not you would be likely to win the case or a cost/benefit analysis.

Your solicitor will discuss the merits test with you, if you need to go to Court.