Criminal lawyers earn €28m from legal aid fees in '03

Criminal defence lawyers earned more than €28m from the free legal aid scheme last year, with two solicitors earning more than €1m each for the year’s work.

Criminal legal aid cost the State €37.35m in 2003, including the cost of expert witnesses and reports, up from just under €29m the previous year.

Solicitors were paid about €15m under the scheme, and barristers earned almost €13m, with solicitors Terence Lyons and Michael Staines being the biggest earners.

Blaise O’Carroll was the highest-paid barrister, receiving nearly €390,000 last year for his free legal aid work.