Criminal barristers stage protest in Letterkenny as part of nationwide action

Criminal barristers at Letterkenny courthouse took part in a nationwide withdrawal of service on Tuesday.

Barristers withdrew from participating in matters at Letterkenny Circuit Court.

The barristers are protesting the level of fees paid to criminal practitioners, which they say were cut from between 28 and 60 per cent during the 2008 to 2011 period.

The Council of The Bar of Ireland is planning further withdrawal of service on Monday July 15 and Wednesday July 24.

On Tuesday, protests took place at 16 courthouses across the country, including Letterkenny.

Solicitors had to step in and take note of adjournments with the barristers withdrawing their services for the day.

The measure represents an escalation on the unprecedented strike action taken by criminal barristers all over the country last October.

They maintain the government has failed to honour a commitment it made last year to carry out an independent review of fee rates.

Barristers say that the full range of cuts that were applied across the public sector continue to apply to the profession and the unilateral breaking of the link to public sector pay agreements has yet to be restored.

Since 2008, barristers are paid a flat rate, “with no provision for inflation or cost of living increases, in marked contrast to those employed in the public sector,” said the Council.

A spokesperson said: “The Bar of Ireland is seeking an independent, meaningful, time-limited and binding mechanism to determine the fees paid to criminal barristers by the Director of Public Prosecutions and under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Scheme.”