Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) Ad-Hoc Legal Aid Scheme

The Department operates the Ad-Hoc Legal Aid Scheme (CAB).

The scheme is applicable to persons who are respondents and/or defendants in any court proceedings brought by, or in the name of, the Criminal Assets Bureau or its Chief Bureau Officer or any member of the Criminal Assets Bureau, including court proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996, Revenue Acts or Social Welfare Acts.

The scheme also includes:

• social welfare appeals made to the Circuit Court under Section 34 of the Social Welfare Act 1997
• tax appeals made to the Circuit Court under the Taxes Acts where the Criminal Assets Bureau or its Chief Bureau Officer or any member of the Criminal Assets Bureau is the respondent and/or defendant
• applications made by the Director of Public Prosecutions under Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1994
• The Ad-Hoc Legal Aid Scheme provides that the grant of legal aid, including the level of legal representation and/or witness expenses allowed, is a matter for the court with the appropriate jurisdiction to deal with the specific case. The calculation of fees which apply to counsel representing the legally aided person is made in accordance with the mechanism which is in operation under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962 and the Regulations made under that Act.

The Scheme was administered by the Courts Policy Division of this department but administration of the Scheme has now been transferred to the Legal Aid Board from 1 January 2014.

From that date, all correspondence, claims for payment and queries should be addressed to the Legal Aid Board as follows: