The High Court has ruled that Jim O’Callaghan’s changes to the legal aid scheme are “grossly unfair” and “demonstrably illogical.”
Minister O’Callaghan’s changes to the legal system have resulted in industrial action in Ireland’s courts since the summer.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon called the ruling “damning” and said the ruling was a “major embarrassment for both O’Callaghan and the government.”
The comments were made in a judgment which found that parts of the new criminal legal aid scheme were ultra vires – or illegal.
Gannon said “the scathing judgment is a hammer blow for the Minister’s scheme and a major embarrassment for both him and the government.”
“The Minister’s handling of this entire fiasco has been a disaster. He arrogantly introduced these new rules without bothering to engage with the lawyers he expected to implement it,” the Soc Dems justice spokesperson said.
“When issues with the scheme were immediately raised after its introduction, he arrogantly dismissed them and said he wasn’t for turning; now, the High Court is going to force him to turn and change aspects of this scheme, unless he embarks on another fool’s errand and tries to appeal this damning verdict,” he stated.
Gannon said, “delaying the inevitable any further would not be an advisable strategy for the Minister, who has staked his ministerial reputation on standing over a criminal legal aid scheme that the High Court has now found to be illegal.”
“The Social Democrats have consistently pointed out the very serious and grave issues with this scheme, which is causing chaos in the courts and huge problems for the victims of crime.”
“It is now time that the Minister accepted that his scheme is seriously deficient and needs to change, before any further damage to the criminal justice system is done.”