Mayo solicitors back barrister colleagues in one-day strike action

SOLICITORS in Co Mayo have called on the Government to 'invest appropriately' in the criminal legal aid system and prevent a one-day strike by barristers.

Criminal barristers across the country are due to withdraw their services for one day on Tuesday, October 3 as part of a major escalation of the Council of the Bar of Ireland's campaign for fee restoration.

The dispute is over the fees paid to barristers by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and under the Legal Aid scheme which were cut in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008. Criminal barristers argue that they have suffered a pay cut, in real terms, of more than 40 percent in the last 20 years.

The Mayo Solicitors Bar Association backed the strike on Tuesday and in a statement called on the Government to try to resolve the issues relating to criminal legal aid.

Catherine Bourke, President of the Mayo Solicitors Bar Association (MSBA) stated that the rates in legal aid are 20 years old and do not represent the true cost of providing legal services to clients.

“Demand for solicitors providing services to the State’s criminal legal aid system is increasing.

However, many practitioners are choosing to leave the profession to work in other areas of law

or to work for the State, because the remuneration provided in this area is not commensurate

with the demands of the role.

“The lack of investment by Government is creating an unviable criminal legal aid system with

clear consequences for access to justice. ‘Legal aid deserts’ are already emerging in some parts

of the country where there may only be one solicitor available to take legal aid cases, or in

in some cases none at all. In this context, the case for restoration of criminal legal aid fees is

irrefutable,” she stated.

The Bar of Ireland said that it had engaged with consecutive Governments on the issue, but that no progress had been made 'despite barristers delivering at least the same level of reform and flexibility delivered by other professional groups for whom cuts have been reversed'.

Ms Bourke said that criminal legal aid work is the only part of the public sector not to have pay cuts reinstated and called on the Government to invest appropriately.

“The MSBA believes in the rule of law and the effective and fair administration of justice.

Solicitors who undertake work on behalf of the State in the defence of their clients have a

critical role to play in the administration of justice and must be paid a fair rate for the work that

they do. We call on the Government to invest appropriately in the criminal legal aid system

and to act urgently to prevent the withdrawal of legal services on October 3 next,” she concluded.