B1216 words1:50News Report American AccentPublished Jul 8, 2026 · Updated Jul 8, 2026

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More than 50 solicitors have resigned from the criminal legal aid panel in Ireland.

The resignations happened after the Government introduced a new flat fee of 520 euros.

This fee is paid to solicitors who represent clients in criminal cases at district courts.

Hundreds of other lawyers have also stopped providing their services in protest.

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan introduced the new payment system, which came into effect on July 1.

According to the Courts Service, 885 solicitors were on the legal aid panel on that date.

By Tuesday of this week, 55 of them had officially resigned from the panel.

The Law Society of Ireland has opposed the new system because it believes the fee is too low.

Rosemarie Loftus, the Law Society president, warned that the new fee will create legal deserts.

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She said there will be areas where no solicitors provide free legal aid to people who need it.

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Under the old system, solicitors received about 239 euros for the first court appearance and about 60 euros for each additional visit.

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A survey found that 81 percent of solicitors said they would resign from criminal legal aid if the changes were made.

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Doctor Shane McCarthy of the Law Society predicted that the changes will cause a mass exodus of solicitors from the scheme.

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More than 50 solicitors resign from legal aid panel after introduction of new €520 flat fee