DPP payments to barristers up by 11% despite cuts

PAYMENTS by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to barristers last year increased by 11% to €15.2 million in spite of the Government imposing a 8% cut on lawyers’ fees in March of last year.

Figures provided by the DPP’s office show the barrister who successfully prosecuted Ennis woman Sharon Collins, in the ‘Lying Eyes’ conspiracy-to-murder trial, received the highest fees paid to a senior counsel by the DPP in 2009.

The figures show that leading prosecutor, Tom O’Connell SC, received €320,462 (inclusive of VAT) to prosecute cases on behalf of the state last year. The €15.2 million total was shared between 169 senior and junior counsel.