CRIMINAL LEGAL AID solicitors in Dublin have today voted to continue their strike action into next month, with no end in sight to the current court disruption. 

Today, more than 100 criminal defence solicitors who practice in Dublin met and voted unanimously to continue their withdrawal of services into September when the District Courts are due to return from the summer recess.

This will mean those engaged in this dispute will not be available to represent clients on the legal aid scheme in the District Courts or at garda stations.

Solicitors have been locked in a row with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan for weeks over the introduction of a new fee system for their work, which came into force on 1 July.

One of the main outstanding criticisms they have of the new scheme is that solicitors will earn a flat fee regardless of how many appearances are involved in a case or how complicated that case is.

In response to the dispute, some solicitors have withdrawn their services, resulting in delays to legal cases and some defendants having to represent themselves in court.

Solicitor Tony Collier said: “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.”

Michael Finuncane added: “Clear and reasonable proposals have been made by solicitors that could resolve the current dispute. We urge the minister to return to the table and engage with us with a view to a speedy resolution of this matter, so that the Criminal Justice System can start to function properly again.”

Earlier this week, the Justice Minister said he hoped the courts would resume normal operations after he made a number of concessions to solicitors. 

Asked if he expected to have to make further concessions to the scheme, he said he was going to engage with the Law Society [the representative body for solicitors in Ireland] but added:

“I’ve made changes already. One of my concerns is every time I make a concession, the Law Society just bag it and say, ‘Well, we want more’.

In response, the Law Society described the minister’s remarks as “fundamentally unhelpful commentary”.