What is happening
See details of the proposed changes and the Law Society's response.
Law Society at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice
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Law Society President Rosemarie Loftus and members of the Criminal Law Committee attended a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to discuss concerns about the proposed changes to Criminal Legal Aid. You can download the President's Opening Statement below.
Campaign updates
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30 Jun 2026
Statement from Law Society President Rosemarie Loftus
“!Any reform of criminal legal aid should be workable, fair and evidence based. This proposal is none of those things and the fundamental concerns the Law Society has outlined have not been addressed.”
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26 Jun 2026
Legal, Human Rights, Civil Society organisations raise concerns
Several national legal, human rights and civil society organisations came together to voice their shared concerns regarding a planned 20% cut to Ireland's Criminal Legal Aid Scheme and the potential consequences for access to justice.
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23 Jun 2026
Justice Minister must publish report on criminal legal aid
The Justice Minister must release the report he is using as a pretext to take a sledgehammer to the criminal legal aid scheme, according to Social Democrats justice spokesperson Gary Gannon.
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22 Jun 2026
A more thoughtful, coherent and effective approach needed
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Matt Carthy TD, warns that proposals ignore the complexity of the reasons for delays in the courts and their impact on access to justice for vulnerable people and victims of crime.
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22 Jun 2026
Practitioner guidance leaves questions unanswered
Criminal law practitioners have expressed serious concern following the publication of a guidance document raises substantive operational, financial, and procedural issues for solicitors engaged in criminal defence work.
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18 Jun 2026
Law Society condemns seriously flawed review
Major policy changes should be supported by strong analysis and systematic data – not anecdotes and hearsay- says Law Society President Rosemarie Loftus.
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09 Jun 2026
Solicitors from across Ireland voice concerns
Hundreds of solicitors have attended information meetings to address mounting concern about proposed changes to the Criminal Legal Aid system.
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09 Jun 2026
Department doubles down on Criminal Legal Aid changes
The Minister for Justice intends to proceed with a flat fee model for criminal legal aid despite significant concerns raised by the Law Society.
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05 Jun 2026
94% say no: profession rejects department's Legal Aid shake-up
New Law Society Gazette survey highlights access to justice risk from fee proposals.
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