The State's legal aid scheme is failing to meet the needs of those on low incomes, according to the free legal aid service and lobby group Flac.
In a report published today, the group says the current structure of civil legal aid is not inclusive.
It claims more than 95 per cent of state civil legal aid over the past 10 years has been granted to deal with family law disputes.
Flac spokesman and barrister Peter Ward said: "This is not surprising when you realise that it is easier to meet the income qualification in a family law matter.
Mr Ward said: "Each person's income is treated separately for the means test in those cases. In cases where there is no dispute in a house, the entire income of a household is used to assess an applicant's means."
The report - entitled Access to Justice: A Right or a Privilege? A Blueprint for Civil Legal Aid in Ireland- says the system of inadequately funded. It also says some clients have waited for their appointment for the civil legal aid system for more than two years.
The report says: "Civil legal aid is not free. Everyone, even those on social welfare, have to pay a contribution towards the legal aid that they receive.
"While the minimum contributions are small, the report points out that in some cases, a legally aided client may have to pay the full cost of the service, billed by the Legal Aid Board at an hourly rate," it says.
Noeline Blackwell, director general of Flac, said: "Potentially therefore, for some clients, legal aid is of no benefit whatever."
