Legal Aid Lawyers Walk Away Over Payment Changes

Legal aid lawyers in Cork are walking away from court cases over a bitter dispute with the justice minister over a planned overhaul of legal aid payments — set to launch July 1 — shifting from case-based fees to flat rates that solicitors say don’t cover the work. The walkout, which began Monday, has caused widespread disruption across district and circuit courts, with barristers left without instructions and cases delayed into October. Judges are urging swift resolution, while lawyers insist they’re still handling urgent custody matters — and are targeting the minister, not the courts. One high-profile example: a man charged with a weapons offense was remanded until July 6 after his solicitor pulled out, highlighting the human cost of this legal standoff. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6fe40e230a41ca74