Mayo solicitors ramp up withdrawal action as legal aid row continue
The legal aid dispute escalated in Mayo today.
Mayo solicitors are completely withdrawing their services from criminal and custody matters in the county and are considering resigning from the criminal legal aid panel as the dispute with the Department of Justice continues.
Gary Mulchrone, President of the Mayo Solicitors’ Bar Association told a sitting of Castlebar District Court today that legal practitioners in the county were regretfully taking the action.
Mr Mulchrone left the court room followed by his fellow solicitors after informing Judge Michael Connellan of their stance.
As a result, all criminal matters before Castlebar District Court today were adjourned due to a lack of legal representation for those in court.
From today, criminal legal aid solicitors will be paid a flat fee rate of €520 under a 'one accused, one fee' model.
Concern has been expressed that the move to this system could result in an exodus of solicitors from the criminal legal aid scheme. Some solicitors have indicated they will stop taking free legal aid cases in protest.
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan last night defended the reforms, describing the €520 fee as very generous.
He told the Oireachtas Committee on Justice that there had been examples of the old system being abused, and that the new model would make it more efficient.
This has been hotly disputed by the legal profession with the Law Society warning of a ‘devastating’ impact on people’s access to justice.
The District and Circuit Courts in Mayo and across the country will be impacted by the dispute unless some kind of resolution is reached in the coming days and weeks.
