Justice Minister to get tough with personal injury lawyers

The Minister for Justice will get tough with solicitors over charges for personal injury cases.

Michael McDowell has established an inquiry into the high fees charged by lawyers on behalf of clients who are taking personal injury actions.

It comes as the Government assists the personal injury assessment board to get up and running in the hope of bringing down the cost of insurance.

The Government has already said that fees charged by solicitors have helped to drive up insurance costs.

Mr McDowell said at a sitting of the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise and Small Business that he will make a formal announcement on this in May.