TDs accuse Jim O'Callaghan of committing 'injustice to profession' of barristers in heated Oireachtas meeting

The Law Society has said that solicitors will pull out of the free legal aid system, and that they 'may very well choose to never come back'

Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan said: 'My view is that if you incentivise people by way of payment for every adjourned hearing date, you're going to get more adjourned hearing dates. That’s just natural. File picture: Niall Carson/PA

The justice minister has been accused by a fellow Government TD of showing “a severe lack of understanding of how the courts work” as solicitors are set to continue their strikes over changes to the free legal aid system.

In several heated sessions of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, members of the public gallery, which included solicitors, were told by Jim O’Callaghan that he objected to them “shouting out abusive comments”.