Legal Aid

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#Legal Aid

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan: 'I can’t just give in. I'm not going to give in to the demands of the solicitors.'</p>

court and crime

Justice minister doubles down on claim solicitors' strike 'deliberately affecting' rape cases

Jim O’Callaghan has insisted that he is 'not going to give in to the demands of the solicitors'

<p>Judge Martin Nolan made his comments in the context of a number of defendants appearing without a solicitor before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sittings. Stock picture</p>

court and crime

Judge: 'Astounding' for solicitors to make unilateral decision not to represent clients in custody

<p>Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan has been branded “sloppy” and “pig-headed”, and accused of “behaving erratically” in his handling of the solicitors’ strike. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire</p>

news

Justice minister accused of being 'pig-headed' in handling of legal aid dispute

SFergus Finlay: Nothing will ever change while the Government sits on the sidelines

Legal aid reforms

court and crime

Minister: 'Deep concern' that solicitors' legal aid row affected only rape cases on Monday

No bail for two men allegedly 'caught red-handed' after car chase wrong way down the M50

court and crime

No bail for two men allegedly 'caught red-handed' after car chase wrong way down the M50

Criminal Courts of Justice

Law firms warn of 'exodus' of criminal defence solicitors if legal aid fee scheme remains unchanged

Partner in law firm said since the start of the dispute, seven young criminal defence solicitors had moved into other areas of practice

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Solicitors Protest sign4

ieExplains: Why are solicitors escalating their strike action against legal aid reforms?

From Monday, some solicitors are withdrawing from all criminal defence work

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Crash on M9 in Co Kildare

Criminal defence solicitors escalate legal aid row with minister for justice

Ms Justice Karen Dowling told court 4 of the Central Criminal Court: 'There’s an industrial dispute, so there won’t be any practitioners present.'

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Symbol of law and justice in the empty courtroom

Protesting solicitors set to escalate strike action over legal aid dispute

The withdrawal will include cases not yet affected by protests, including those with defendants in custody or involving children

Mon, 19 Oct, 2026

Ireland Legal Aid

High Court to hear Palestinian student visa cases amid urgent Gaza concerns

At least eight Palestinian students are challenging visa refusals as lawyers warn of the urgency created by the Gaza evacuation deadline

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Sentencing of driver in fatal crash delayed over solicitors’ dispute

Sentencing of driver in fatal crash delayed over solicitors’ dispute

Judge Patrick Quinn adjourned the matter until February 9 2027

Wed, 07 Oct, 2026

Continuing legal aid row 'a matter of concern to me and judges generally', says Chief Justice

Continuing legal aid row 'a matter of concern to me and judges generally', says Chief Justice

Chief Justice O’Donnell said we have to face the fact that behaviour in and around courts is becoming more aggressive intrusive and disruptive

Mon, 05 Oct, 2026

Fianna Fail think in - Tullamore

Law Society renews call for mediation in criminal legal aid row

Rosemarie Loftus said ongoing disruption was affecting court users as solicitors raised two key concerns over the new fee system

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026

Mick Clifford: Jim O’Callaghan’s political ambitions are distracting from Ireland’s justice crisis

S Mick Clifford: Jim O’Callaghan’s political ambitions are distracting from Ireland’s justice crisis

Mick Clifford argues that legal aid disruption and Garda whistleblower concerns demand attention despite the minister’s political ambitions

Sun, 27 Sep, 2026

Fianna Fail think in - Tullamore

Law Society calls for independent mediator as legal aid row set to roll on

Fears over payment in complex cases and solicitors selectively choosing cases threatens the efficacy of our courts system, writes Liz Dunphy

Sun, 27 Sep, 2026

The cases are still coming — but West Cork solicitors say they cannot finish them

The cases are still coming — but West Cork solicitors say they cannot finish them

Solicitors say criminal cases are piling up as a dispute over a new flat-fee legal aid system continues

Sat, 26 Sep, 2026

Sexual violence cases must be exempt from legal aid dispute, charity urges

Sexual violence cases must be exempt from legal aid dispute, charity urges

Comments come after Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns told the Dáil that 10 out of 12 rape trials scheduled on a date in July could not go ahead due to the action

Fri, 25 Sep, 2026

Fianna Fail think in - Tullamore

'Something catastrophic could happen': Warnings as Oireachtas committees hears of fallout from legal aid dispute

Cases relying on criminal legal aid have plummeted, with a 93% collapse in criminal legal aid certificates issued

Tue, 22 Sep, 2026

Gavel, scales of justice and law books

Chair of Bar Council says bottlenecks across legal system will grow as solicitor strikes continue

Solicitors have been on strike since reforms to the free legal aid system came effective on July 1

Wed, 16 Sep, 2026

Symbol of law and justice in the empty courtroom

Bar Council 'extremely concerned' legal aid dispute remains unresolved

“The prospect of continuing disruption on the advent of the new legal year is of the utmost gravity," the Bar Council said.

Wed, 16 Sep, 2026

Fianna Fail think in - Tullamore

Jim O'Callaghan rejects mediation proposal as legal aid row with solicitors continues

The Department of Justice said more than 700 new criminal legal aid certificates have been issued since July 1

Tue, 15 Sep, 2026

Legal aid certificates fall 93% as Law Society calls for mediator in dispute

Legal aid certificates fall 93% as Law Society calls for mediator in dispute

New figures show sharp falls in legal aid certificates across courts as solicitors continue withdrawing services over the flat fee

Wed, 09 Sep, 2026

Why are criminal defence solicitors refusing legal aid work?

Why are criminal defence solicitors refusing legal aid work?

The dispute between the justice minister and criminal defence solicitors is leaving some accused people without legal representation

Listen | Fri, 04 Sep, 2026

Crash on M9 in Co Kildare

Criminal courts running ‘effectively’ despite row with solicitors, minister says

Jim O’Callaghan said he had made 'very fair' concessions in amending his reforms of the criminal legal aid system

Thu, 03 Sep, 2026