Mayo fast becoming a 'legal desert'
Castlebar Courthouse. Photo: Alison Laredo
Fears over Mayo becoming a ‘legal desert’ appear to be coming to fruition.
New figures show the county welcomed just two trainee solicitors last year.
The Law Society data shows that 581 trainee solicitors contracts were issued in Ireland last year. Of these, 479 were in Dublin.
Worryingly, western counties failed to see much of an injection of new blood. There were just two new trainees for Roscommon and Sligo and seven in Co Galway. Co Leitrim saw just a single trainee.
Mayo has already seen a high number of long-established legal practices close in recent years. Local solicitors have already warned of the threat of a ‘legal desert’ in the county and claimed that the proposed ‘flat fee’ legal aid model will exacerbate the situation.
"These changes will have a profoundly negative impact on access to justice and it’s not just solicitors saying this - groups including the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), and Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) have all voiced concerns about the negative impact the changes will have on the justice system. We are going to have a legal desert in Mayo at this rate,” said Ballinrobe-based solicitor Cathy McDarby last month.
The figures follow a recent report from the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) warned that a shortage of solicitors is expected in rural areas, where 65% of sole practitioners are over 50 years of age.
“Sole practitioners are carrying much greater personal risk. Unresolved liability risks can significantly limit the ability to transfer or sell a successful practice. This results in many practices ceasing to operate and reduces the availability of legal services and assistance in communities. Legal deserts are emerging in many parts of rural Ireland, as options for legal representation become more limited,” the Law Society warned in its 2026 Budget submission.
