Jim O’Callaghan’s stand-off with criminal solicitors just keeps on escalating. The justice minister has now accused striking solicitors of deliberately targeting rape cases. The backlash was quick, and judges are now warning about the impact the dispute is having on the courts. Neither side appears particularly close to backing down.

Christine Bohan, Jane Matthews and Rónán Duffy look at how the dispute got this far. Has O’Callaghan made it harder to find a way out?

Also: the same minister intervenes in the row over a consent campaign featuring grandparents, and the RSA performs another U-turn, this time over breathalysers in pubs.