The Oireachtas Justice Committee is to refer striking solicitors to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on the grounds that the ongoing withdrawal of services by criminal legal aid solicitors may be in breach of competition law.
Criminal Legal Aid
The Irish Criminal Bar Association (ICBA) has issued a statement calling on justice minister, Jim O’Callaghan to engage in “meaningful engagement with stakeholders” to resolve the dispute over the new criminal legal scheme as it raises concerns about the “practical impact th
The Law Society of Ireland has renewed its call for the appointment of an independent mediator to resolve the ongoing dispute over criminal legal aid. Solicitors have been withdrawing their services since June in opposition to the “one accused, one fee” model for criminal legal aid that
The Council of The Bar of Ireland has issued a statement on the ongoing withdrawal of services by certain solicitors following the introduction of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 on 1st July 2026. The full text is published below. The Bar of Ireland previously rais
The Southern Law Association, the representative body of over 750 solicitors in Cork city and county, has published an open letter to Taoiseach Micheál Martin stating that they would welcome direct engagement with him on the subject of criminal legal aid. Written by president of the Southern
The Law Society of Ireland welcomes comments from Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris yesterday on the need for direct engagement on the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. Solicitors have been withdrawing their services since June in opposition to the “one accused, one fee
Dublin District courts were reportedly at standstill Friday as the solicitors’ legal aid dispute continues.

