Since the start of July, criminal defence solicitors have been engaged in a dispute with the Minister for Justice over the introduction of payment reforms for legal aid cases in the District Court.

Some solicitors working in the District Court are refusing to work under the revised legal aid scheme, which came into effect earlier this month.

Most defendant solicitors are paid each time they appear for a client, but from July 1st, the Department of Justice is replacing this system with a flat-fee model.