Free legal aid in Maynooth

A free legal aid centre is to being set up in NUI Maynooth this month.

FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centre) is a new society with 60 members at the university, and will run free clinics giving people legal guidance.

Most of those giving help are third year law students at the college and they will be aided by a qualified solicitor.

Spokesperson Sinead Finnerty said the service will be available to all students and residents of Maynooth and the Kildare region who require free legal aid on various issues. “We will cover a range of topics such as employment rights, landlord and tenant issues and family law enquiries,” said Sinead.

“We are a committee that are committed to ensuring FLAC Maynooth provides Maynooth students and the wider community with all they help and guidance they may need.”

Clinics will commence on Tuesday, 7 February and continue on the following Tuesday evenings: 21 Febuary, 6 March, 27 March, 11 April and finally, 26 April.

The clinics, starting at 7.00 pm each Tuesday, will be located in the Iontas Building which is the newest building located beside the John Hume building on the North campus at NUI Maynooth.

Eight law students from second and third year law, as well as a resident solicitor or barrister, will be present to help students and members of the community.

Sinead said the services and all information provided is free. “We would like to stress that confidentiality is a key factor in our clinics and anything discussed or covered is absolutely confidential and people can have complete confidence in that regard.”

The new society is linked to the national FLAC organisation and a representative from the Citizens Advice Bureau in the town will be available to deal with social welfare matters.

Sinead said they expect landlord and tenant, employment and social welfare matters to be the key areas of concern.

“We are looking forward to using our knowledge and training in helping the community in any way we can,” said Sinead.

The NUI Maynooth FLAC committee is: Patrick Cagney- President, Liam Sunner- Vice President, Se Sweeney McCabe- Secretary, Sinead Finnerty – Public Relation Officer, Peter O Loughlin – Training Officer, Kevin J Clarke – Treasure and Matt McDermott- Webmaster.