In May, some barristers called for strike action during a nationwide protest over the failure to reverse emergency pay cuts to the scheme.
The body representing barristers in Ireland has recommended a one-day strike to its members as part of a long-running dispute over legal aid payments to criminal barristers.
In May, some barristers called for strike action during a nationwide protest over the failure to reverse emergency pay cuts to the scheme.
Last May, criminal barristers stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice to highlight the government’s failure to reverse cuts to the legal aid scheme, which were introduced as a cost-saving measure during the recession.
Today, the Council of the Bar of Ireland has recommended that its members working in criminal law withdraw their services for one day on the third of October.
Despite delivering what they described as "significant and valuable reforms" over the years, they say the government has refused to reverse what were seen as "emergency cuts" to their fees.
They also warn that failure to reverse the cuts will lead to more barristers leaving the profession, resulting in a profound impact on the administration of criminal justice and the public good.