Carlow criminal barristers protest over lack of restoration of fees
Carlow barristers took part in a nationwide protest on Wednesday. Photo: Rory Kellett
By Elizabeth Lee CARLOW Circuit Criminal Court, which had been sitting for the past two weeks, was closed for the day on Wednesday when barristers withdrew their services in a dispute over pay restoration.
Fifteen barristers, including three senior counsels, held up banners and protested on the steps of Carlow Courthouse on the third of three nationwide days when they withdrew their services.
Among the barristers were Niall Storan who is the state prosecutor for County Carlow as well as senior counsels, Coleman Cody, John O’Kelly and Philip Sheahan.
They were protesting because they want their pay to be restored after it was cut three times since 2008.
“Following a series of correspondence with An Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD and Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, in addition to Department of Justice officials, the situation remains at an impasse,” the Council of The Bar of Ireland said in a statement.
The three days of protest in July is an escalation on the previous one day of withdrawal which took place on October 2023.
Shortly after that unprecedented day of withdrawal last October, a partial restoration of 10% of fees was confirmed for the budget this year. However, even after this 10% was restored, the full range of cuts that were applied across the public sector continue to apply to the profession, and the unilateral breaking of the link (in 2008) to public sector pay agreements has yet to be restored.
Protests took place in 11 courthouses around the country, including Carlow town, the Four Courts in Dublin, Ennis, Co Clare, Washington St, Cork, Buncrana, Co Donegal, Naas, Co Kildare, Kilkenny City, Merchant’s Quay, Limerick, Longford town, Sligo town and Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
