Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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I have another thing to say on that issue. I know there have already been some reforms with regard to the fees for barristers. We need to highlight that issue again because, if we are talking about equality of arms, we need to ensure there is a sufficient number of barristers practising in the legal aid system. The Council of the Bar in Ireland has been very clear on barristers' requests and the Department of Justice has been very supportive of those reasonable requests. It is other Departments that we should be questioning but it is important to underline that, if we are looking for an effective legal system, we need to ensure there are sufficient numbers of barristers practising and that they are being paid sufficiently. While there have been some initial reforms and agreements, I hope they can continue into the future.