The first collective agreement has been signed for the Legal Aid Agency, the Ministry for Justice stated, describing this as an important step which testifies to the government's commitment towards a public service that protects the dignity of workers and strengthens social justice.

Minister Jonathan Attard said that this step, taking place a few days after the presentation of Budget 2026, is "a clear confirmation of the government's vision for a fairer, more modern and competitive Malta, where workers remain at the centre of improving their conditions".

Attard spoke of how the Legal Aid Agency has grown substantially over the past few years, with the aim of being able to manage a service now provided by more than 50 lawyers.

The ministry stated that, over the past year, the Legal Aid Agency responded to 2,820 requests for information, and p provided legal aid in 215 civil cases, over 1,400 criminal cases, and over 300 cases of assistance to victims of crime.

The Justice Ministry said that this increase in human resources was accompanied by reforms and concrete investment such as the introduction of the Legal Aid Management System, which it said continued to make the service offered more efficient, transparent, and accessible.

It added that other measures mentioned included the creation of a website with clear and up-to-date information on the services offered, educational campaigns in the community and in schools to increase awareness of legal rights, and informational leaflets for professionals such as social workers and teachers to strengthen collaboration with different stakeholders.

Attard said that the next step will be the transfer of the Office of the Advocate for Children under the mandate of the Legal Agency, which he described as a reform that will expand the legal services for greater protection of children. He added that this step is also complemented by a project that will be carried out in collaboration with the Commissioner for Children aimed at increasing awareness of children's rights in schools and in the community.

Chief Executive of the Legal Aid Agency Bruno Zahra said that a strong agency starts with a motivated team. He said that the transformation undergone by the agency throughout the last 11 years took it from a basic service to a system with specialised panels, continuous training, and the introduction of new roles which respond to the needs of modern justice.