Mayo criminal trials of accused people in custody delayed further

Four criminal trials involving accused people who are in custody have been adjourned in the hope that a breakthrough in the legal aid payment dispute will allow some of them to proceed.

State prosecutor Patrick Reynolds made the application at a sitting of Castlebar Criminal Court.

He requested that the jury panel be adjourned and reconvened in the hope that the impasse between the Minister for Justice and solicitors can be resolved.

Mr. Reynolds told the court that he understood that talks between the Law Society and the Minister for Justice are to take place and he hoped there may be “some movement in the dispute.”

He said there were four accused people in custody who are awaiting trial.

Judge Eoin Garavan said the court would make every effort to get cases on.

He also noted that a large number of cases are listed for sentencing.

Mr. Reynolds indicated that priority will be given to accused people in custody.

There were no solicitors representing their clients in court again last week.

The four-month dispute between criminal defence solicitors in the free legal aid system and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan recently escalated with solicitors withdrawing their services to include people held in custody and cases involving children.

However, the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, has said he will meet the Law Society of Ireland having previously been reluctant to do so.

Judge Garavan said he sympathises with the barristers who are appearing court out of courtesy and having to act as “the mouthpieces for something they have no direct control of.”

Judge Garavan later addressed the jury panel.

“As you know there has been a dispute between the solicitor profession and the Department of Justice in relation to legal aid, and that has resulted in problems for people being represented by solicitors.

"That puts barristers in great difficulty because they must obtain their instructors from solicitors,” said Judge Garavan.

“There have been developments over the last number of weeks and there may well continue to be developments,” he added.

The judge apologised to the jury panel for any inconvenience.

* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.