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Law Society statement on “one flat fee” proposal for criminal legal aid
Law Society President, Rosemarie Loftus, said:
“The new proposal to replace the existing payment per appearance fee structure with one flat fee is deeply concerning. 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.
“The Law Society welcomes the commitment to the restoration of criminal legal aid fees in Budget 2026. This progress is an important step in increasing the availability of criminal legal aid to those who cannot afford legal representation.
“The Law Society has requested a meeting with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to express our concerns and to discuss the proposal.”