Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to be able to give an update on progress that has been made on this issue. I fully recognise the important role played by barristers and solicitors in the administration of criminal justice, not only in the context of working to defend those who are accused but also working with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in respect of prosecutions.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing co-operation and flexibility shown by the legal profession in working with the Government and the courts to try to improve overall efficiencies and to create a more victim-centred system. This includes through a number of actions to give effect to Supporting a Victim’s Journey, the first plan I published, to support victims of domestic and sexual violence going through the courts, implementing the Family Justice Strategy and the overall modernisation programme in the courts. The criminal legal aid scheme, which has operated since the 1960s, is vital to our criminal justice system. It is administered by my Department which has the responsibility for making payments under the scheme.

I assure the Deputy that this issue has been a priority for me and my Department. I am pleased to inform him that an increase of 10% in fees to barristers and solicitors under the scheme was agreed in yesterday's budget. I want to make it clear that this 10% is the starting point in a much wider process. It is the first step on a pathway to further engagement with the profession and with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. In conjunction with the increase in fees, the intention is to try to build on the strengths of the criminal legal aid scheme while addressing any issues relating to how it is structured. Engagement will now begin with the legal profession for the purpose of working together to identify reforms to the fees, including automation of payments, which has been raised with me a number of times, and will support improved efficiency and governance in the administration of the scheme. This is with an intention of creating a pathway and ensuring there is fairness in the level of fees paid under the criminal legal aid scheme. These are necessary reforms and will help to further support the reforms being introduced in the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill 2023 more generally. I am pleased to be able to make these changes but I stress that this is the start of the process. I look forward to engaging with the associations.

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