Naas Court Sees "Dramatic" Drop In Criminal Legal Aid Certificates Amid Ongoing Dispute

Thursday, 10 September 2026 08:22

By Daniel Maher

It's as a result of ongoing disputes regarding the new flat-fee payment that was introduced by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan in July.

Naas has seen a significant reduction in the number of criminal legal aid certificates being granted by the Kildare District Court offices.

It's as a result of ongoing disputes regarding the new flat-fee payment that was introduced by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan in July.

In Naas, the number of certificates granted fell from 315 in July 2025 to 17 in July 2026.

In Dublin, 3,344 certificates were granted at the Criminal Courts of Justice in July 2025, compared with 60 in July 2026.

At Cloverhill, certificates fell from 346 to 25, while at the Children’s Court they fell from 128 to nine.

In a letter to Jim O’Callaghan, the Law Society has called for the appointment of an independent mediator to help resolve the impasse over the new Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, while the Kildare Bar Association has called for an urgent review.

The Justice Minister had raised the flat-fee from the initial figure of €455 to €520, but numerous meetings have yet to result in any further agreements, as the disruption continues nationwide.

The figures provided to the Law Society of Ireland show that 702 criminal legal aid certificates were granted nationally in July 2026, compared with 10,277 in July 2025, a 93% reduction of certificates.