Criminal defence solicitors in Donegal will withdraw from certain services – including across the Donegal International Rally weekend.
Members of the Donegal Bar Association met on Monday afternoon to confirm their opposition to proposed reforms of the criminal legal aid system by the Department of Justice.
Local practitioners have confirmed to Donegal Daily that they will now withdraw from all emergency court sittings and providing advices during Garda station interviews.
Their decision is effective immediately meaning that the Donegal courts could now face serious disruptions in the days ahead given that special court sittings are usually held on the Donegal Rally weekend.
Court hearings around the country have already been affected as the legal profession rails against a proposed flat-fee model for legal aid and solicitors have warned that the action could have serious repercussions for the administration of justice.
The new “one flat fee” model has been proposed for District Court criminal legal aid work – and is planned to be introduced by the Department of Justice on July 1.
A Law Society Gazette survey recently saw over 200 solicitors recently raised concerns about the plan, deeming the model “neither fair nor workable” while also noting that the changes could make it harder for defendants, especially vulnerable people, to secure representation which would thereby delay trials for everyone involved.
At present, solicitors in the District Court are paid €239.38 for each accused’s first appearance and €59.86 on each subsequent appearance while the new proposal has called for a €455 flat one-off fee, regardless of the number of court dates.
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Earlier this year, The Law Society was critical of the proposed scheme, saying: “Introducing one flat fee in criminal legal aid imposes an indeterminate amount of work while cutting the fees provided.”
Donegal solicitors practising in criminal law stand united with their colleagues across the country in opposing both the proposed reforms and what they regard as the Department of Justice’s unilateral and provocative approach to their introduction.