Dublin Solicitors Vow to Continue Service Withdrawal Amid Fee Dispute

Dublin's criminal defence solicitors have unanimously decided to extend their withdrawal of services into the upcoming month, signaling a continued impasse with the Minister for Justice over a new fee structure for legal aid. Over 100 lawyers, representing nearly all firms in the capital, met Thursday and agreed to prolong the action, which began due to dissatisfaction with the fee changes implemented in July.

The core of the dispute lies in the new payment model, which replaced a tiered system with a single flat fee of €520 per case, regardless of the number of court appearances. Solicitors argue this fee does not adequately compensate for the work involved, contrasting sharply with the previous model that offered approximately €239 for a first appearance and €60 for subsequent ones. They claim the new structure was imposed without meaningful negotiation.

“

We want to be back in the courts doing our job, representing clients who require legal aid and ensuring the administration of justice. However, we have reluctantly decided to continue our withdrawal of services into September, as the Minister for Justice is refusing to engage meaningfully with us or our representative body.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has defended the changes, citing departmental data that suggested the former approach encouraged adjournments and asserting the new fee is "very fair." However, solicitors maintain their proposals for a "clear and reasonable" resolution have been ignored. Tony Collier, a solicitor involved, stated, "We want to be back in the courts doing our job... However, we have reluctantly decided to continue our withdrawal of services into September, as the Minister for Justice is refusing to engage meaningfully with us."

The ongoing withdrawal is causing significant disruption across Dublin, Cork, and Limerick, leading to the adjournment of thousands of criminal cases. This affects accused individuals, witnesses, victims, prosecuting gardaí, and the overall management of court lists. The new payment model is also facing a judicial review initiated by Dublin solicitor John Quinn at the High Court, adding another layer of legal challenge to the dispute.

“

clear and reasonable