Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Jennifer Whitmore (SD), Wicklow

The Minister for justice recently brought in reforms for the criminal justice legal aid system. While we all recognise that there is a need for reform within the system, the reforms that the Minister has brought in are ill-considered, not backed up by data or evidence and have led to absolute chaos in the courts system. Solicitors have removed themselves from free legal aid work.
The Wicklow courts system has essentially ground to a halt. No Wicklow solicitors are participating or providing free legal aid advice. It means that in recent weeks, cases involving assault, domestic violence, theft, drugs and possession of child pornography have not gone ahead in Wicklow. There are victims in Wicklow who are not able to access justice at the moment because these new changes have brought chaos. Hundreds of jurors were recently told that their services were no longer required. Many vulnerable people in the legal system are falling through gaps.
I know this decision went through the Cabinet and was signed off but in light of the impact that this is happening on our courts system, will the Tánaiste push for the process to be stalled? We need it stopped. We need there to be proper consultation. We need a clear, coherent and properly working policy to be developed.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16