Barristers in North threaten strike action

Senior barristers in the North have threatened strike action over £40m (€45m) of unpaid legal fees.

Barristers in the North who have been waiting more than four years to be paid for work on complex criminal cases are threatening to boycott new hearings until the pay dispute is resolved.

They have warned they could start sending back solicitor briefing papers on cases as soon as Friday.

Their representative body – the Bar Council – is locked in talks with the Northern Ireland Court Service in Belfast in an attempt to reach a settlement.

It is understood that while the council would settle for a £25m (€28.5m) payout, the court service has so far offered only £10m (€11.4m).

One barrister said he and his colleagues have had enough.

“Some of us haven’t been paid for cases from four years ago,” he said. “This can’t go on. It’s come to the point where briefing papers will be sent back until this is sorted.”

The dispute centres on payments for criminal cases that last more than 21 days, which are known as Very High Cost (VHC) cases. A new payment structure was set for VHCs in 2005 but fees have yet to be paid out.

A spokeswoman from the Courts Service said discussions were continuing to avoid the need for industrial action.