Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan under siege as solicitors extend criminal legal aid dispute
Criminal defence solicitors in Ireland have extended their withdrawal of services in protest against a new legal aid payment model. The ongoing dispute has caused significant delays in court cases, including serious criminal trials, and has drawn criticism from the judiciary.
Why it matters
The strike threatens the constitutional right to legal representation and has created a backlog in the justice system, impacting both the state and the accused.
T he legal year ended this week with no sign of any immediate breakthrough in the dispute between Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and solicitors over a new criminal legal-aid payment model for the District Courts.
More than 200 criminal defence solicitors across the country overwhelmingly agreed on Friday to extend into August their withdrawal of services – a protest that has been ongoing since June – in opposition to the new model.
It will particularly affect some accused people in Garda detention and appearing before special and emergency sittings of the District Courts during the August recess.
Among those who may be seeking a solicitor during the courts’ closure is Kinahan cartel leader Daniel Kinahan (49), who is facing extradition from Dubai to Ireland in the coming weeks.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in