Fine Gael TD Paula Butterly has said it was an “oversight” not to disclose that she received payments under a legal aid scheme she was discussing at an Oireachtas committee.

The Louth TD is a practising barrister who received €2,667 under the Criminal Legal Aid scheme in 2025, according to figures compiled of payments under the scheme.

Contentious changes to that scheme as it relates to solicitors were being discussed by the Justice committee on Tuesday, with Butterly among the TDs and Senators putting questions to Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan on the reforms.

Under Oireachtas guidelines, TDs or Senators who have a material interest in a subject being discussed in the Dáil or at a committee must make a declaration of interest before or during the course of their speech if it is not declared in the register of members’ interests.

In the register, Butterly lists her occupation as a barrister in the Criminal Courts of Justice, but makes no specific reference to the Criminal Legal Aid scheme.

In response to queries, the Fine Gael TD said she had put it on record several times in committee that she was a practising barrister in both criminal and civil law. “Yesterday was a pure oversight but [I’m] happy to correct that.”

Her party colleague, Dún Laoghaire TD Barry Ward, also spoke at the committee but outlined beforehand that he was a criminal aid lawyer and had received payments under the scheme.

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Under a new system which came into effect on Wednesday, solicitors are to be paid a flat fee of €520 for criminal legal aid work in the District Court. The previous system was based on the number of appearances by a solicitor in court in a case.

The Government says the new system will reduce delays and simplify representation, but solicitors have strongly criticised the approach. Thousands of criminal cases have been adjourned on a daily basis due to the continuing withdrawal of services by criminal legal aid solicitors protesting against the move in recent weeks.

During the committee meeting, Butterly was among members of the committee to strongly criticise the new approach, telling O’Callaghan: “What you’re proposing isn’t really dealing with the reasons why there are delays in the courts”.

She said the reforms would comprise access to justice and affect not just those accused before the courts but also victims of crime.

“I think you’re doing a huge injustice to the profession, you’re doing a huge injustice to the people who are trying to access the courts,” she told O’Callaghan.

Fianna Fáil TD Tom Brabazon, who is a solicitor, did not respond when asked if he received any payments under the scheme. He also made contributions during the committee and does not appear in last year’s list of payments under the scheme.