Flat-fee plan for legal aid ‘deeply concerning’
The Law Society has described as “deeply concerning” a proposal to introduce one flat fee for criminal legal aid.
The plan was announced yesterday (24 February) by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan.
The minister said that the proposed changes would lead to “a more efficient system”.
Law Society President Rosemarie Loftus, however, said that the proposal to replace the existing payment-per-appearance fee structure was “deeply concerning”.
‘Indeterminate length’ of proceedings
“While we welcome Minister O’Callaghan’s commitment to reform the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme so it better serves the people who need it, the Law Society is not supportive of a fixed fee that does not take into account the indeterminate length of case proceedings and the work involved,” she stated.
The solicitors’ representative body has welcomed the minister’s commitment to the restoration of criminal legal-aid fees as announced in Budget 2026.
In a pre-budget submission last year, the Law Society had called for the full restoration of fees for practitioners that were reduced in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008, pointing out that criminal-law work had increased in volume and complexity.
“This progress is an important step in increasing the availability of criminal legal aid to those who cannot afford legal representation,” the president said.
She added that the Law Society had requested a meeting with the department to express its concerns and to discuss the flat-fee proposal.