Criminal Defence Solicitors Escalate Service Withdrawal Over New Legal Aid Payment Model

Criminal defence solicitors are escalating a mass withdrawal of services as the Department of Justice plans to implement a new criminal legal aid payment model from July 1st. Thousands of criminal cases in courts statewide, including District, Circuit, Central, Special Criminal, and Court of Appeal, have been affected since Wednesday, with further disruption expected for special court sittings this weekend and custody cases from Monday.

Over 250 solicitors met in Dublin on Friday, learning that department officials informed the Law Society on Thursday evening of the July 1st implementation. Garda headquarters fears suspects, including those charged with murder, may challenge prosecutions due to lack of legal advice. The Law Society calls the new model «unworkable» and warns of an exodus of solicitors from criminal legal aid work, urging caution for Gardaí.

Law Society president Rosemarie Loftus stated solicitors perform an essential constitutional function and should not be blamed for delays caused by inadequate resourcing. A department spokeswoman claimed «constructive engagement» occurred on Tuesday and Thursday, and they remain open to further discussion. She described the reform as aiming to improve efficiencies, speed up case resolution, and ensure fair remuneration. The department's proposals replace appearance-based payments with a single flat fee per case, following a review noting criminal legal aid expenditure rose from €19 million in 2015 to €37 million in 2024. The Law Society deems this review «seriously flawed.»