Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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302. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date in negotiating increased fees to criminal barristers employed by the State in court actions; when a review of the structure and level of fees will be commenced; if representatives of an organisation (details supplied) have met with officials from her Department to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28020/24]

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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303. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the review of the structure and level of fees paid to criminal barristers; the actions she will take to address the proposed industrial action planned in July as set out by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28043/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.

I recognise the important role played by barristers and solicitors in the administration of criminal justice – both in the context of working to defend those accused and working with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in respect of prosecutions.

The Department of Justice has commenced a review of Criminal Legal Aid and has a dedicated team of officials currently working on this. The Department has been and will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders including the legal professions, on the modernisation and funding of the legal aid system.

The team are currently laying the foundations for an improved, more efficient system of administering Criminal Legal Aid and intend to work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders. Indeed the review and modernisation of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme was discussed with the Bar Council and Law Society when my officials met with them. Their input is an important part of the process.

Last summer I told the Bar Council that I saw no good reason why those in the legal profession are left waiting for crisis-era reductions to be restored. That is still my position.

I said last summer that I wanted to make progress on criminal legal aid in last year’s budget and I did just that.

I secured €9 million to provide for a 10% increase in criminal legal aid fees, which came into effect from 1 January 2024.This represented progress.

I will be equally clear regarding my intentions this year. I will again seek to make progress in this year’s budget in relation to restoration of criminal legal aid fees.

However, as the Deputy will know, we cannot make Budget announcements months ahead of Budget Day. There is a budgetary process which must be followed.

While I cannot pre-empt a budgetary decision, I hope that the progress we achieved last year is a sign of good faith on my part and the part of the Government that more can be achieved this year.

To further modernise the Criminal Legal Aid system, the General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill 2023 was published in July 2023.

The key purpose of the Bill is to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to the Legal Aid Board and to otherwise update the administration of criminal legal aid.

This Bill will modernise the operation of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, introducing strengthened oversight and governance structures.

Officials in the Department of Justice have recently met with representatives of the Bar Council and Law Society. It is my intention that significant progress will be made on this as Department officials continue to engage with the legal professions.