Wexford barristers in protest outside court house

Protests took place at 16 courthouses today as part of a nationwide withdrawal of service by criminal barristers, in response to a lack of progress on fee restoration. This was the first of three planned days of withdrawal this month and is an escalation on the unprecedented action taken by criminal barristers all over the country last October. The full range of FEMPI-era cuts that were applied across the public sector continue to apply to the profession and the unilateral breaking of the link to public sector pay agreenents has yet to be restored. Pictured (L to R) Jordan Fletcher BL, Niamh Foley BL, Donna Kelly BL, Ross Pratt-O'Brien BL, Heather McKenna Furlong BL, Emmet Whitmore BL, Caroline Latham BL, Matthew Gahan BL, David Ong BL and Sinead Gleeson BL & County Prosecutor for Wexford.

A number of Criminal law barristers are protesting this afternoon outside Wexford Court House

The Barristers feel let down by what they claim is the Government’s failure to fully reverse cuts to their fees.

In 2018, a Government review accepted the reversal of cuts introduced over twenty years ago was justified given the level of reform in the profession.

The last budget restored 10 per cent of their pre-2002 fees, but lawyers across the country withdrew their services today in pursuit of the rest.

Speaking from outside Wexford Courthouse was barrister Sinead Gleeson