Law society aware of complaints for months

EDUCATION Minister Mary Hanafin has said the legal profession was aware of - and had powers to fully investigate - complaints that members had overcharged claimants to the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) for many months before the issue hit the headlines last week.

She added an amendment to legislation governing the board last April, in response to a request from its chairman, High Court Justice Sean O’Leary, about dubious practices by solicitors.

Since a tranche of cases was highlighted by RTÉ’s Liveline radio programme last week, the Law Society has set up and advertised a helpline for applicants to the RIRB whose solicitors charged them in addition to costs paid by the board.