“You Don't Use A Sledgehammer To Crack A Walnut": Kildare Solicitor Criticises New Legal Aid Scheme As Work Stoppage Continues In Dublin

Friday, 24 July 2026 15:50

By Daniel Maher

The new scheme was introduced on July 1st, and affects cases where criminal defendants require free legal aid.

A local solicitor has voiced criticism of the new Criminal Legal Aid scheme.

It comes as solicitors are taking part in a two day work stoppage in Dublin since yesterday, in protest of the changes.

Meanwhile, Kildare criminal legal aid solicitors who have withdrawn from the scheme are only participating in custody cases that they're already on the record for, mainly due to the fact that the judge in question is bound to report them if they don't appear for a client in that scenario.

Yesterday, Justice Minister Jim O' Callaghan says he will meet the Law Society to discuss the dispute over criminal legal aid payments, but insists the new flat-fee system is here to stay.

The new scheme was introduced on July 1st, and affects cases where criminal defendants require free legal aid.

The new scheme involves a flat fee of €520 being given to criminal legal aid solicitors for such cases, in comparison to the old model whereby they were paid €240 for their first appearance in court, and almost €60 for every appearance after that.

Jim O' Callaghan has said that the new scheme will ensure fairness and efficiency with these cases, as well as highlighting a recent report of criminal legal aid expenditure rising from €19m in 2015 to €37m in 2024.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Brian Larkin of Brian Larkin Solicitors in Naas criticised Minister O' Callaghan's attitude across the whole situation:

"I've been very disappointed in the Minister and his attitude to the whole thing, it's crazy but it will drive people out of the profession, this model hasn't worked and it's been already tried in family law and in civil law.

I'm not saying there wasn't a need for some reform but you don't use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut."

He added that since the 16th of June, he believed there had been 3,200 cases adjourned before Naas District Court, a court he described as "one of the busiest" courts in the country.

The full interview can be heard below: