Written Answers Nos. 616-635
617. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of unmarked motorcycles currently attached to Garda roads policing unit fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32129/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
618. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of arrests recorded under the drive programme in Cork. [32137/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn May 2025, alongside my colleague Minister Murnane O’Connor, I launched the DRIVE (Drug related intimidation & violence engagement) project. DRIVE’s primary goal is to establish effective systems and structures for a unified, timely, and sensitive response to drug-related intimidation. It focuses on responding to incidents, supporting those affected, and preventing future occurrences.
DRIVE promotes interagency collaboration by bringing together law enforcement, health services, social services, and community organisations to tackle Drug Related Intimidation from multiple perspectives. It operates on a national scale across Ireland, ensuring consistent and comprehensive support in all regions. Given its nature and structure no arrests arise under the DRIVE project.
619. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of reports of drug related intimidation received in each of the past five years respectively in Cork, in tabular form. [32138/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
620. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the actions he has taken to address drug related intimidation in Cork in the past 12 months. [32139/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra621. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether a specific offence exists for drug related intimidation; and whether he will consider introducing same. [32140/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 620 and 621 together.
Drug-related intimidation is a serious issue that inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities nationwide. I am conscious that such intimidation can be a terrifying experience for families, who may already be dealing with the trauma of seeing a loved-one in addiction. For the wider community, it can negatively impact their sense of safety and security.
I am fully committed to significantly reducing the harms caused to families and communities by the illegal drugs trade, including drug-related intimidation. The three main policy objectives my Department are seeking to achieve in this area are:
• tackling organised crime;
• minimising the harms caused to those with addiction issues; and
• diverting people from involvement in crime and illicit drug-related activity.
A number of key actions have been taken as part of our plan to tackle organised crime and the illegal drug trade, including:
• Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison to tackle those who direct gangland and drug related crime;
• New laws have been enacted which criminalise the grooming of children into a life of crime;
• Drafting new laws which will provide for the use of biometric recognition technology in the investigation of certain drug offences;
• Further investment in youth justice initiatives that divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in criminal behaviour.
An Garda Síochána have legislative powers available to them to tackle the issue of drug related intimidation. These include, but are not limited to:
• Coercion pursuant to section 9 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997,
• Harassment pursuant to section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997,
• Blackmail, extortion and demanding money with menaces pursuant to section 17 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994 and;
• Section 15 Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, as amended.
I can assure the Deputy that tackling drug intimidation is a major priority for An Garda Síochána and they are successful in securing convictions and putting those responsible behind bars.
Operation Tara aims to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks, at all levels – international, national and local – involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs. Under Operation Tara, individuals and groups involved in the drug trade are the target of enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest crime trends. This year, in Cork alone, Gardai have seized over €1,350,000 worth of illegal drugs.
622. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide a breakdown of expenditure by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in South Dublin for each of the past five years, including expenditure relating to accommodation centres located at locations (details supplied); and to indicate the costs associated with each location. [32184/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra623. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of IPAS accommodation centres that are currently operating in South Dublin, and to list the location of each centre. [32185/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 623 together.
Ireland provides accommodation and other basic supports to people seeking international protection, as is required by law. The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in over 300 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country.
There are currently 15 IPAS accommodation centres in the South Dublin County Council area. The Department does not publish details of the locations of IPAS accommodation centres, in the interest of the privacy and security of residents, staff and providers.
The accommodation system is managed on a national level, as is reporting on all aspects of the process. Accommodation providers and details of payments are recorded, but not by county council or area. As such, the breakdown of data requested with respect to the total amount spent on accommodation for those seeking international protection in South Dublin County Council in the past five years is not collated or readily available.
However, in the interests of transparency, the publishes details of payments to accommodation providers over €20,000 at quarterly intervals online at gov.ie here: Purchase Orders for €20,000 or above.
Please see, in tabular format, the total spend on IPAS accommodation in commercial and State-owned accommodation for the last 5 years. Please note the 2025 figure is provisional pending completion of the 2025 Appropriation Accounts.
|
Year |
IP Accommodation Cost |
|
2021 |
€190.8m |
|
2022 |
€356.5m |
|
2023 |
€651.7m |
|
2024 |
€1.05 billion |
|
2025 |
€1.2 Billion |
In terms of international protection applicants, significant reform is underway to speed up the processing system, achieve improved value for money for the State and reduce the demand for accommodation. That includes moving away consistently, over time, from the degree of reliance on commercial accommodation and putting in place more facilities on State-owned sites.
IPAS is reviewing commercial contracts and driving improvements in standards, governance and compliance. The introduction of a new rate card model in May 2025 is driving costs down for new and renewed contracts.
The allocation for IPAS accommodation and supports for 2025 was €1.2 billion and this has reduced to an allocation of over €1.1 billion for accommodation and supports in 2026.
624. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the procedures in place where an individual is removed from an IPAS accommodation centre due to breaches of house rules or behavioural issues, including the alternative arrangements, if any, that are made for such individuals; and to indicate whether data is maintained on the number of removals for behavioural reasons in each of the past five years. [32186/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, people applying for international protection are provided with material reception conditions - this includes accommodation, food, clothing and a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA).
Not all international protection applicants take up IPAS accommodation, nor are they obliged to, and some people applying for international protection make their own living arrangements independent of IPAS.
When people seeking international protection arrive at any IPAS accommodation centre, they are provided with the ‘IPAS House Rules’ which explains the rules and procedures that are designed to make reception and accommodation centres safe and effective.
Where a resident is repeatedly in breach of the house rules or, following a particularly serious breach, IPAS may relocate them to another accommodation centre.
Usually there are a series of reminders about the house rules and or warnings. If breaches continue, it can be necessary to relocate people following repeated warnings.
In these circumstances IPAS engages directly with the people concerned and the centre management. Any resident who is moved to another centre is required to follow the house rules at that centre.
In instances where there are serious or repeated breaches of the house rules, consideration may be given under Section 7 of the Regulations to amending the reception conditions afforded to a resident. This involves withdrawing IPAS accommodation.
In circumstances where reception conditions are amended, the person will be provided with a letter from IPAS explaining why their reception conditions have been amended, that no further IPAS accommodation will be provided. They are also informed of their right to appeal the decision within 10 working days by email.
I can confirm accommodation was withdrawn from 61 people in 2024, 49 people in 2025, and 14 people in 2026.
625. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the process that applies where an individual has been refused permission to remain in the State, including the steps taken from the point of refusal to deportation or voluntary return. [32187/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra627. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department maintains oversight of individuals who have been refused permission to remain in the State but have not yet been deported, including where such individuals are residing; and the monitoring arrangements, if any, are in place. [32189/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra628. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals refused permission to remain in the State in each of the last five years; the number subsequently deported; the number remaining in the State; and if he is aware of the location of each of these individuals. [32190/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra629. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether he receives regular reports on the status of individuals who have been refused permission to remain in the State but remain present in the State; and if so, the nature and frequency of such reports. [32191/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 625, 627, 628 and 629 together.
It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.
In relation to permission to remain in the context of international protection, an applicant makes only one application under the single procedure. All grounds for seeking international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) as well as permission to remain are determined in this one process. This is known as a first-instance decision, or first-instance recommendation.
The International Protection Office (IPO) makes first instance recommendations in respect of international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) as well as decisions on permission to remain.
All applicants refused international protection have a right to appeal to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) who must then consider if the earlier International Protection Office (IPO) determinations on refugee status and subsidiary protection should be affirmed (refused) or set aside (granted).
Applicants who have had their appeal for international protection refused are entitled to submit a request to review their permission to remain to the IPO where their circumstances have changed since their first instance recommendation.
If successful, they will be granted permission to remain in Ireland. If the permission to remain review is refused the persons may have the option of voluntary return, which if not accepted will in the normal course lead to the making of a deportation order. The only barrier to that course of action is the provisions of section 50 of the International Protection Act 2015 on the prohibition of refoulement.
Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued.
If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed. A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State, and the enforcement of a deportation order is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Each deportation order is accompanied by a letter or notice that informs the person of their obligations and requirements, including the obligation to present to the GNIB at a particular time and date. Other requirements are outlined in the letter, such as the requirement to reside at their address pending their removal and the requirement to co-operate with the GNIB and produce any travel document to facilitate their removal from the State.
My Department works closely with the GNIB to progress arrangements for the removal of people subject to deportation orders.
Any person who is the subject to a deportation order is ineligible for social assistance payments and a range of other public services such as accommodation.
It is the case that a significant number of individuals who were subject to deportation orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities; however, as there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to definitely provide the number of people who have or have not complied with an order. I am, however, informed that the GNIB has reviewed a large sample of cases of people subject to deportation orders; their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.
Table 1 below details the number deportation orders which have been signed in respect of people who have been refused International Protection (IP) in 2024, 2025 and up to 31 March 2026.
Table 1. Deportation orders signed from 2020 to 01 May 2026
|
Year |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 (up to 01 May) |
|
Deportation orders signed |
598 |
33 |
549 |
859 |
2,403 |
4,700 |
1,513 |
*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
Table 2. Deportation Enforcement 2020 to 01 May 2026
|
Year |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 (up to 01 May) |
|
Enforced Deportations |
42 |
5 |
24 |
51 |
134 |
185 |
96 |
|
Removed by Charter |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
182 |
62 |
|
Otherwise Confirmed Deportation (1) |
97 |
33 |
93 |
28 |
28 |
67 |
21 |
|
Total Deportations |
139 |
38 |
117 |
79 |
162 |
434 |
179 |
|
Other Removals (2) |
40 |
46 |
39 |
24 |
26 |
61 |
52 |
|
Number of Voluntary Returns |
201 |
132 |
91 |
215 |
934 |
1,616 |
497 |
|
Total Removed |
380 |
216 |
247 |
318 |
1,122 |
2,111 |
728 |
*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
** During the COVID- 19 Pandemic there was a moratorium on deportations. This was effective during the latter part of 2020, 2021 and for the first 8 months of 2022. During the moratorium only people who whose presence in Ireland would be contrary to the public interest were deported. This moratorium was lifted in July 2022.
*** A deportation order effected in any year may relate to an order signed in a previous year.
1. Otherwise confirmed deportations is where it has been confirmed a person has left the state following receipt of a deportation order without being escorted.
2. Other removals include Dublin III Transfer Orders of International Protection applicants to another EU State and EU Removal Orders for the return of EU Citizens under the Free Movement Regulations (these orders are made on grounds of criminality) and people who are deemed inadmissible under the International Protection Act.
626. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the length of time, on average, individuals who have been refused permission to remain in the State continue to reside in IPAS accommodation; and whether there are statutory or administrative limits on such stays [32188/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of people resident in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres who have been refused permission to remain in the State is a small proportion of our total resident population of over 33,000 people.
Currently, there are over 800 people subject to deportation orders residing in IPAS accommodation. This number fluctuates regularly as people leave Ireland under the relevant return pathways, and as new orders are made, and data is not routinely collated on the duration of their stay after a deportation order being issued.
Some people subject to deportation orders may have the enforcement of their order suspended due to legal proceedings or due to personal circumstances such as health grounds. Others will be in the process of arranging to leave the State as directed.
My Department works closely with the Garda National Immigration Bureau to arrange for the removal of persons subject to deportation orders.
The enforcement of deportation orders is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), and my Department works closely with the GNIB to progress arrangements for the removal of people subject to deportation orders. If a person issued with a deportation order does not leave the State independently then they are required to present to the GNIB in accordance with the conditions of their deportation order.
630. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the citizenship status of children born in Ireland to parents who are living in the State under the Temporary Protection Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32241/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBeneficiaries of Temporary Protection hold a temporary permission to remain in Ireland, renewable annually for as long as the Directive remains in force. Any child born in the State to parents residing here under the Temporary Protection Directive is not automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. In line with the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004, citizenship at birth depends on the status of the parents.
In such cases, a child will generally be eligible to acquire the citizenship of one or both parents by descent, in accordance with the nationality laws of the relevant country or countries.
I can advise the Deputy that it is the existing policy that time spent in the State on permissions that are inherently transitionary or intended to be temporary in nature are not reckonable for the purpose of naturalisation.
To provide legislative clarity for this position, Minister O'Callaghan and I intend to bring forward amendments to the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 to explicitly exclude time spent under Temporary Protection from the residency accrual provisions of the Act. This will require legislative change, full scrutiny of which will take place through the regular parliamentary process.
The impact of the exclusion of time spent under Temporary Protection from the calculation of reckonable residence will be carefully considered as part of the ongoing work across Government on approaches to managing the exit from Temporary Protection.
The Government has agreed to opt in to an EU proposal for a Recommendation related to a coordinated exit from Temporary Protection. While not binding, this recommendation outlines a series of measures to pave the way for a smooth and coordinated approach to transitioning out of Temporary Protection for displaced people from Ukraine. It also acknowledges the inherently temporary nature of temporary protection and that it therefore must eventually end.
631. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32292/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department complies with the Protected Disclosures Act (as amended), relevant statutory guidance and follows all necessary procedures for dealing with reports of alleged wrongdoing. When a concern is raised, it is logged, securely held, and managed by a designated Protected Disclosures manager.
My Department is not aware of any protected disclosures that have gone missing and works to ensure that the person making a report is afforded the protections under the Act, including the protection of their identity.
The following bodies under the aegis of my Department operate their own protected disclosures procedures and report separately on reports received:
•An Garda Síochána;
•Courts Service;
•Fiosrú (Office of the Police Ombudsman);
•Irish Prison Service; and
•Legal Aid Board.
In addition, the following officers of agencies under the aegis of my Department are amongst those listed as prescribed persons and report independently on protected disclosures received:
•The Commissioner for Data Protection;
•A member of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission;
•The Director of the Insolvency Service of Ireland;
•The Chief Executive of the Legal Service Regulatory Authority;
•The Chief Executive of the Private Security Authority; and
•The Official Assignee in Bankruptcy in the Insolvency Service of Ireland.
The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation is the lead Department on protected disclosure legislation and provides guidance on all protected disclosure processes.
Section 22(1) of the Protected Disclosures Act provides that every public body, prescribed person and the Protected Disclosures Commissioner shall provide information to the Minister for Public Expenditure on the number of the reports of wrongdoing received in the preceding calendar year. My Department complies with Department of Public Expenditure’s reporting requirements.
632. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications for civil restraining orders received annually between 2023 and 2026; the number approved or refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32319/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra633. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of civil restraining orders granted from 2023 to 2026 related to domestic violence cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32320/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 632 and 633 together.
The management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and the Constitution.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie
To be of assistance, I requested the information sought by the Deputy.
Section 28 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 provides the District Court with the power to receive and determine applications for civil restraining orders (CROs). It was commenced on 2 September 2024 which is, therefore, the earliest date from which applications could be accepted under the new provisions.
Section 82 of the Act amends Section 15 of the Domestic Violence Act to provide that a District Family Court can grant a CRO in domestic violence proceedings. There are no applications for such an order before the Court.
I'm informed that the legacy system currently in use within the relevant courts cannot provide the data requested. In the interim, limited data on Section 28 CROs is being collected manually.
The Courts Service has recently began to roll out a new Unified Case Management System to Civil and Family District Court offices. After the rollout is complete next year, more comprehensive data will be available.
The table below outlines the available data on CROs.
|
Q.3 2024 |
Q.4 2024 |
Q.1 2025 |
Q.2 2025 |
Q.3 2025 |
Q.4 2025 |
|
|
Applications |
48 |
266 |
378 |
425 |
428 |
416 |
|
Granted |
11 |
122 |
97 |
129 |
170 |
163 |
|
Refused |
NA |
NA |
NA |
104 |
169 |
159 |
634. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have been arrested, prosecuted, incarcerated for simple drug possession; and if possible, to provide the substance, location, age and gender for each offence, for each of the years from 2015 to 2025 and to date in 2026. [32356/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
635. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the rationale for deferring the restoration of the final 8% of District Court criminal legal aid fees until 1 July 2026; whether he will consider bringing forward this restoration in light of concerns raised by the Bar of Ireland regarding the impact on access to justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32500/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra636. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has assessed the impact that the deferral of District Court fee restoration is having on the availability of experienced barristers willing to take on criminal legal aid work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32501/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra637. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the timeline for the substantive review of District Court fees announced by his Department; the terms of reference for that review; the stakeholders being consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32502/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra638. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has reviewed the operation of the flat-fee model for District Court criminal legal aid; whether he is aware of concerns raised by the Bar of Ireland that the model penalises defence lawyers for procedural delay and adjournments necessitated by essential procedural steps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32503/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra639. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has data on the number of experienced practitioners who have ceased taking on District Court criminal legal aid work over the past three years; the steps being taken to prevent an exodus of senior practitioners from this area of practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32504/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra640. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the substantive or administrative overlap between solicitors' fees and barristers' fees in District Court legal aid matters; whether his Department intends to review this overlap as part of the broader fee review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32505/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 635, 636, 637, 638, 639 and 640 together.
The Government recognises the crucial role played by the legal professions in the effective administration of criminal justice.
It is important to note that the Programme for Government contains three commitments in relation to Criminal Legal Aid. The first is to reform the operation of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. The second is to restore criminal legal aid fees, and the third is to enact the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill.
It is my intention to fulfil all three commitments.
The reform of the criminal legal aid fee structure in the District Court is aimed primarily at improving efficiencies, speeding up case resolution, and reducing unnecessary adjournments, while ensuring fair and sustainable remuneration for legal practitioners.
It is proposed that from 1 July 2026 a set fee will be paid for representation from the beginning to the end of a case, removing the link between payments and the number of appearances, or legal aid certificates granted.
The proposed reform is not intended to reduce the cost to the State of providing criminal legal aid. It is instead intended to make the system work better for all concerned, by making it more efficient, reducing unnecessary adjournments, simplifying administration and speeding up case resolution. The new flat fee will be set at a rate that provides for full restoration of the so-called 'FEMPI cuts' in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
This proposal is informed by a review carried out my Department, of 350,000 District Court Cases which took place between 2022 and 2023. The review identified specific structural issues in the administration of criminal legal aid, namely:
• Payment per appearance which incentivises additional adjournments.
• Multiple certificates granted for related cases increase costs and complexity.
• Multiple solicitors assigned in the same firm for related charges.
• A highly complex payment processing system creating a significant administrative burden.
The review also found:
• Cases with criminal legal aid take an average of 313 calendar days to complete, compared to 133 days for cases without.
• The weighted average appearances for cases with Criminal Legal Aid is 5, while the weighted average appearances without Criminal Legal Aid is just over 3.
• While cases with Criminal Legal Aid take significantly longer than those without, the outcomes are similar.
My Department is engaging extensively with relevant stakeholders, including An Garda Síochána, the Probation Service and Courts Service on the review and proposed changes to the scheme. Officials from my Department met with the Bar Council and Law Society together in May, July and October 2025, and both bodies were invited to make submissions on the findings of the review by November 2025. An initial submission from the Law Society was received on 14 November 2025, the details of which were considered before the report was finalised. Correspondence was also received from the Bar Council.
Further submissions were received from the Law Society and the Bar Council on 27 March and 2 April respectively. Together with my officials, I am currently considering the content of these submissions and will continue to engage with the Law Society and Bar Council in advance of the introduction of the new arrangements on 1 July, which includes the full restoration of fees on the same date.
While my Department does not hold data on the numbers of practitioners, experienced or newly qualified, who have ceased to take on Criminal Legal Aid work, I am informed that there has been an increase in the number of practitioners on Criminal Legal Aid panels over the last 3 years, as follows:
|
Year |
No of Solicitors |
No of Barristers |
|
2023 |
672 |
740 |
|
2024 |
695 |
712 |
|
2025 |
825 |
760 |
I can assure the Deputy that my only objective in making these reforms is to make the system more effective and efficient while ensuring that those accused of crimes are provided with the legal representation to which they are constitutionally entitled.
