Ferrys Solicitors partner Tony Collier explained the purpose of the escalating action to RTÉ on July 19, 2026, as criminal defence solicitors prepared to withdraw completely from the District Court, Circuit Court and Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, July 22 and Thursday, July 23. Our criminal defence solicitors represent clients at every stage of criminal proceedings, from Garda station advice through District Court hearings.
Mr Collier said solicitors were very concerned that the dispute was being misrepresented by the Department of Justice. He said the dispute was sparked by the imposition of a new model of legal aid without proper consultation with solicitors.
"This action being taken by solicitors is to encourage the Minister to engage fully with the solicitors' representative, the Law Society," he said.
A further withdrawal was threatened for the final week of the legal term, July 27 to 31.
Misrepresentation: the certificate figures
The Department said 179 solicitors had resigned from the panel, just over one in five, and that this fell to 17% when those with zero earnings were excluded. It also said 174 criminal legal aid certificates had issued in the first two weeks of July and that this confirmed "the system is working".
The Law Society described the drop as a "collapse". With 98,617 certificates issued in 2025, an average of about 1,800 per week, the normal figure for a two-week period is around 3,600. The 174 issued represents a fall of over 90%, indicating that cases are not progressing through the court system.
This is why Ferrys says the dispute is being misrepresented. Presenting a 90% collapse in certificates as evidence that the scheme is working, and presenting a panel figure that includes retired and deceased solicitors as evidence that most are still working, does not reflect what is happening in the courts where Ferrys practises every day.
What the stoppage means
For two days the Criminal Courts of Justice will effectively close for legal aid cases. Ferrys' clients on bail will have cases adjourned. The firm continues to represent clients assigned under the old scheme and juvenile clients.
The Department also said it was examining certificates for payment submitted by some solicitors who had said they had withdrawn services. Ferrys' position is that the firm is not accepting new assignments under the scheme.
The dispute arises from the Minister's replacement of per-appearance payments (just under €240 for the first, €60 for each subsequent hearing) with a flat €520 per client from July 1.