In the monitored period the Legal Support, as part of SKC-IRL, has dealt with 295 cases of relatively wide-ranging issues:

• Rent relations between landlord and tenant (deposit refund)
• Entitlement to and receipt of redundancy payment
• Entitlement to paid annual leave and its payment
• Entitlement to and payment of overtimes and Sunday premium
• Unlawful dismissal and issuing of P45
• Eligibility and duration of the temporary suspension of Employment Contract by the employer
• Advice on tax return at the time of unemployment
• Consulting services about social benefits and welfare,

Of the above total number of 295 cases an overwhelming majority (233 cases, 79 per cent) was dealt with in the form personal information provision, or telephone contact or via E-mail. The remaining 62 cases (21 per cent of the total) were considered to be especially important and serious. Due to their complexity the authorized representative of the Legal Support Department dealt with them personally by representing clients during negotiations with their employers or landlords.

During the monitored period, 18.6 per cent (55 cases) of all clients that contacted the Centre were recommended by the Diplomatic Office of Slovak Republic, which indicates the cooperation and support of the project by the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ireland.

Legal Support Department of Slovak Centre – Ireland had registered increase of interest in provision of its services to Czech community and so we started to pay an attention to Czech community in Ireland by mutual agreement with the Diplomatic Office of Czech Republic in Ireland and we started co-operation with the Czech community organization.

Rastislav Blažek – BSc, MSc
Project Manager
Legal Support SKC- IRL

Dublin, 21.12.2009