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Mercy Law Resource Centre
Formation2009
FounderSister Michele O'Kelly
TypeCharitable organisation
Registration no.CHY18698
Legal statusNon-profit
FocusHousing and homelessness
Location
Region served
Ireland
WebsiteOfficial Site

Mercy Law Resource Centre (MLRC) is an independent law centre and registered non-profit organisation, based in Dublin, Ireland. The Centre provides free legal advice and representation to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.[1]

History

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Mercy Law Resource Centre was established in 2009 during Ireland’s post-2008 economic downturn[2] and ensuing housing crisis[3] by Sister Michele O'Kelly. O'Kelly was supported by the Sisters of Mercy, with the stated aim of bringing together the spheres of law and mercy.[4] The Centre’s main areas of practice are social housing law and related areas of social welfare law.[5] In 2009 it assisted 270 people, and in 2018 it worked with 1,381 people.[6]

MLRC is one of 7 not-for-profit organisations in Ireland which provide free legal advice, alongside Free Legal Advice Centres, Ballymun Community Law Centre, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Irish Refugee Council, the Irish Traveller Movement, and Northside Community Law Centre.[7]

Core activities

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MLRC’s stated ethos is to recognise each person's dignity and ensure all people are treated with respect and compassion.[8] Its work is focused on creating a society in which individuals live with dignity and enjoy equal rights, in particular the right to a home, as well as equal access to legal recourse to vindicate those rights.[9]

Whilst Dublin-based, MLRC provides legal services across Ireland. In 2019, it offered free legal advice and representation to 1,611 individuals and families.[10] According to its 2019 Annual Report, 88% of its new clients presented with issues related to homelessness[11] and approximately three-quarters of its client base are of ethnic minority background, including migrants, members of the Irish Traveller community, and people of Roma ethnicity.[12] The Centre has a stated commitment to eliminate the specific barriers faced by minorities as they access essential housing supports and services.[13]

In 2019, the MLRC published a report on the impact of homelessness on families entitled The Report on Lived Experiences of Homeless Families.[14] The Centre has taken, and lost, 3 High Court cases on behalf of families who were refused emergency accommodation by 3 local county councils.[15][16]

MLRC has additionally provided legal support and training to over 100 organisations working in the fields of housing and homelessness, including Dublin Simon Community, Focus Ireland, Crosscare and Merchant's Quay, Ireland.[17]

MLRC advocates for change in laws, policies, as well as in societal attitudes, which unduly and adversely impact its client group.[18] It has actively campaigned for a referendum to amend the Irish Constitution so as to enshrine a positive right to housing.[19] MLRC has joined Home for Good[20] a coalition of organisations and activists seeking a referendum commitment from the Irish Government.[21][22] Public figures involved in the campaign include Dr Rory Hearne, Fergus Finlay, and Colette Kelleher.[23]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre highlighted the need for greater access to legal advice and provided training to staff and volunteers of aligned organisations.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Mercy Law Resource Centre - IHREC - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission". Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  2. ^ Taylor, Cliff. "The Crash – 10 years on: scars remain amid the recovery". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  3. ^ O’Loughlin, Ed (2019-08-08). "Housing Crisis Grips Ireland a Decade After Property Bubble Burst". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  4. ^ "Mercy Law Centre". Sisters of Mercy. Retrieved 11 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Mercy Law Resource Centre | Children's Rights Alliance". www.childrensrights.ie. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  6. ^ "'Moral argument' for civil legal aid boost– Clarke". www.lawsociety.ie. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  7. ^ Noeline, Blackwell; Donnelly, Larry (14 November 2011). "Negative stereotype overshadows good work of many lawyers". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  8. ^ Mercy Law Resource Centre (7 June 2019). "Statement to the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government" (PDF). data.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 11 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Mercy Law Resource Centre (10 November 2017). "Submission to: Ireland 2040 Our Plan National Planning Framework" (PDF). National Planning Framework. Retrieved 11 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Irish Legal News (21 September 2020). "Homelessness law centre assists over 1,600 clients". Irish Legal News. Retrieved 2021-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Mercy Law Resource Centre (2019). Annual Report 2019 (PDF). Dublin: Mercy Law Resource Centre.
  12. ^ Baker, Noel (2019-12-11). "Report highlights 'completely unacceptable' situation of children in one-night-only accommodation". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  13. ^ Irish Legal News (4 March 2021). "Law centre calls for action to improve minority groups' access to housing services". Irish Legal News. Retrieved 2021-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Hilliard, Mark (11 December 2019). "Mothers with newborns going from hospital to homeless services". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-08-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Neylon, Laoise; Kapila, Lois (27 March 2019). "For Weeks, One Woman Struggled to Be Recognised as Homeless". Dublin Inquirer. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  16. ^ Thomas, Cónal; Kapila, Lois (25 July 2018). "Homeless? South Dublin Council Might Ask for an Affidavit as Proof". Dublin Inquirer. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  17. ^ Mercy Law Resource Centre (2018). Annual Report 2018 (PDF). Dublin: Mercy Law Resource Centre.
  18. ^ https://www.lobbying.ie/organisation/650/mercy-law-resource-centre-clg?currentPage=0&pageSize=10&queryText=&subjectMatters=&subjectMatterAreas=&period=&returnDateFrom=&returnDateTo=&lobbyistId=650&dpo=&publicBodys=&jobTitles=&client=&responsible=
  19. ^ Regan, Maeve. "Why the right to housing should be enshrined in the Irish Constitution". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  20. ^ Oireachtas, Houses of the (2020-11-02). "Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss the proposed referendum of the right to housing, with the Home for Good Coalition – 2 Nov 2020, 16.12 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  21. ^ "Who We Are". Home for Good. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  22. ^ Randall, Niamh; Kelleher, Colette (13 July 2017). "Housing is a right, and Ireland must recognise this in law". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  23. ^ Home for Good (January 2020). "For the Common Good: The housing crisis & a proposal to amend the Irish Constitution" (PDF). Home for Good. Retrieved 11 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "Webinar to address emergency powers' effect on homelessness". www.lawsociety.ie. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
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