Legal Aid

Over 150 solicitors attended an information meeting at the Law Society of Ireland to address their concerns around mounting access to justice challenges with proposed changes to the criminal legal aid system. 

Northern Ireland justice minister Naomi Long has agreed to accept all recommendations made by the accelerated review of criminal legal aid. In a written ministerial statement, she said she will now take the necessary steps to implement:

There is overwhelming opposition to proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme that would see the current appearances-based system replaced with a flat-fee model for District Court criminal cases, according to a new survey. The findings come from a Gazette poll of more than 200 criminal law s

The Legal Services Agency (LSANI) has extended its stakeholder communication survey to April 30.  Stakeholders are invited to participate in the survey which aims to gather insight on communication preferences and practices.

Northern Ireland's Department of Justice is seeking views on opportunities to simplify and speed up processes relating to legal aid. Justice minister Naomi Long has published two public engagement papers as part of the 'Enabling Access to Justice' reform programme.

Pádraig Langsch sets out proposals to improve efficiency in the District Court without sacrificing fairness. In my last opinion published on 26 February in Irish Legal News, I commented on the minister for justice’s proposal to introduce a flat‑fee system in District Court criminal le

The High Court has refused to grant leave to challenge a decision of the Ombudsman upholding a refusal of civil legal aid by the Legal Aid Board. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Anthony Barr determined that the applicant had not made out an arguable or stateable case that the resp

Investment in civil legal aid would "improve the lives of women in a practical way", FLAC has said in the run-up to International Women's Day. The independent legal, human rights and equality organisation has written to members of the Oireachtas to highlight the barriers to justice faced by women in

The Law Society of Ireland has said it is "deeply concerned" by government proposals to introduce a flat fee model for criminal legal aid in District Court cases. Justice, home affairs and migration minister Jim O'Callaghan this week said his proposed new model “will lead to a more efficient s

Plans to effectively slash criminal legal aid payments in the District Court have been set out on the same day the government confirmed a date for fee restoration. Justice, home affairs and migration minister Jim O'Callaghan last night announced he is seeking to introduce a system whereby one flat f

Ireland's leading legal rights charity has hit out at the "entrenched cliché that legal aid is just ‘more money for lawyers’" as it warned the civil legal aid system is at risk of collapse. FLAC's chief executive, Eilis Barry, appeared before the joint Oireachtas committee on just

An accelerated review of legal aid reform will take place in Northern Ireland following a breakthrough in talks between justice minister Naomi Long and striking criminal barristers. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) began a withdrawal of services from all legally-aided Crown Court cases at the star

Northern Ireland's justice minister has withdrawn a proposal aimed at resolving a month-long strike over legal aid fees, according to the Criminal Bar Association (CBA). In a statement issued this morning, the CBA said it was "disappointed and perplexed" by Naomi Long's decision to propose and then

A high-profile murder trial is set to go ahead in spite of the Northern Ireland barristers' strike after an exemption was agreed between barristers and prosecutors. Stephen McCullagh denies murdering Natalie McNally in December 2022.

Government officials are still considering the recommendations of two rival reports on civil legal aid reform published more than six months ago, Jim O'Callaghan has said. The justice, home affairs and migration minister told a major conference on Monday that reform was on its way, but said he was u