Solicitor overcharging - Full rigours of the law should apply

ANY solicitor who wrongly overcharged clients before the Residential Institutional Redress Board should be investigated by the gardaí.

They stand accused of blatant fraud and so should face the full rigours of the law.

Through RTÉ’s Liveline programme, dozens of victims of abuse in residential institutions have alleged their solicitors were paid twice for their work.

The stance taken by Law Society director general Ken Murphy is to be welcomed. There is an overwhelming case for cracking down on the culprits without fear or favour. But rather than being scrutinised under the legal profession’s system of self-regulation, every solicitor accused of double charging should face a full-scale criminal investigation.

It is utterly abhorrent for solicitors to take such advantage of clients. But when the unwitting victims include some of the most vulnerable people in society, the alleged crime becomes all the more heinous.