Barristers stage Castlebar courthouse protest today
Pictured outside Castlebar courthouse are back row; Brendan McDonnagh BL, Paul Kilraine BL, Grainne Quinn BL, Charles Murray BL, Patrick Reynolds, Circuit Prosecutor and Niall O'Driscoll BL. Front row; Sean McHale BL, Patrick Murphy BL, Darragh McDonnagh BL, Diarmuid Connolly BL, Michael O'Connor SC, Deirdre Browne BL and Dr. Laura Byrne. Photo: John Mee Photography
Barristers will protest at a number of courthouses across the country today (Tuesday) including Castlebar.
Following a recommendation from the Council of The Bar of Ireland last month, criminal barristers around the country will withdraw their services today in the first of three days of protest taking place this month.
Protests will take place at 16 courthouses nationwide where criminal cases are due to be heard, including Castlebar Courthouse.
This is an escalation on the unprecedented action taken by criminal barristers all over the country on October 3 last, with the aim of seeking an independent, meaningful, time-limited and binding mechanism to determine the fees paid to criminal barristers by the Director of Public Prosecutions and under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Scheme.
Following the first withdrawal on October 3, 2023, a 10% restoration was subsequently announced in Budget 2024.
However, even after this 10% was restored, the full range of FEMPI-era cuts that were applied across the public sector continue to apply to the profession, and the unilateral breaking of the link (in 2008) to public sector pay agreements has yet to be restored.
This is despite a government commissioned review in 2018 acknowledging that the reversal of the cuts was justified given the level of reform and flexibilities delivered by the profession.
Sara Phelan, SC, Chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, said they have been left with no other option. “It is with regret that we have recommended to criminal practitioners that they withdraw service again. No barrister wishes to be in this position, but we have been left with no choice."
“The government has just reported on the complete unwinding of FEMPI legislation this month, yet FEMPI-era cuts still apply to our profession. This is despite the fact that the role of criminal barristers has evolved significantly in that time frame, and we have at all times delivered on the required reforms and flexibilities. Yet, barristers continue to be treated differently to others in the criminal justice system and indeed to society at large," Ms Phelan added.
