Criminal courts face shutdown as legal aid solicitors extend withdrawal of services

Ireland's criminal courts are on the brink of a potential complete shutdown this week and next, as approximately 70 criminal legal aid solicitors escalate their dispute over a new payment model for district court services. The solicitors resolved to extend their near-total withdrawal of services, initially planned for Thursday and Friday, to three days next week.

This action threatens further disruption to criminal court lists, which have already experienced thousands of adjournments. The solicitors are reportedly furious that the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, has not agreed to "meaningful" engagement with the Law Society, their representative body, regarding the new payment structure. Tony Collier, a solicitor with Ferrys Solicitors, anticipates that the withdrawal of services in Dublin will be mirrored in many courts nationwide.

Criminal defense solicitors began withdrawing services last month in opposition to the new legal aid fees payment model, implemented on July 1st. The previous system offered tiered payments based on court appearances, starting at €239.38 for the first appearance and €59.86 for subsequent ones. The new model introduces a single flat fee of €520 per case, regardless of the number of court dates.

The Minister for Justice has defended the new model, stating the old system was prone to abuse and encouraged unnecessary adjournments. He cited an internal review showing criminal legal aid spending nearly doubled from €19 million in 2015 to €37 million in 2024, despite a decrease in case volumes. The Law Society, however, has deemed the review flawed and the new payment model "unworkable," demanding substantive discussions with the department on pay and legal aid reform.

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expected the withdrawal of criminal defence solicitors from criminal cases in Dublin this and next week will be mirrored in many courts across the country.