Solicitors withdraw services at County Roscommon court as legal aid controversy deepens

The withdrawal of solicitor services for legal aid criminal cases continues to affect courts in County Roscommon.

At a sitting of Castlerea District Court this morning, almost all of the criminal cases were adjourned until September by Judge John King. The only matter finalised was a case of criminal damage where Judge James Faughnan had indicated applying the Probation Act, if compensation was paid.

Solicitors Ivan Moran, Brid Miller, and Aoife O'Callaghan told the court that in solidarity with their colleagues nationwide they would be withdrawing their services.

The dispute centres around the introduction of changes to the legal aid scheme, which solicitors have condemned as unilateral and unworkable.

Judge King advised a number of the accused that there was a solicitors' strike and that they would have to attend court in September for their cases.