Justice Minister faces growing dissent as solicitors extend court walkout

On Monday, roughly 200 criminal defence solicitors and barristers staged a walkout at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin to protest Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan’s lack of dialogue over a new flat-fee legal-aid model. The fee change, which replaced per-appearance payments with a uniform rate in July, prompted hundreds of lawyers to pull back from cases, raising fears of a backlog surpassing the pandemic-era surge.

Holly Laher of Ferrys Solicitors described the minister’s stance as a “cynical ploy” and expressed a loss of confidence in his leadership. The Law Society, through its Criminal Law Committee, has suggested additional payments for lengthy cases and multiple legal-aid certificates, but O’Callaghan has refused to compromise. Amanda Connolly warned that the minister’s refusal to meet before the October 13 judicial-review decision is unrealistic, stressing the impact on victims awaiting justice. Barrister Luke O’Higgins warned that junior counsel could be forced out of the profession if the dispute remains unresolved, as the courts’ ecosystem depends on solicitor instructions.