Barristers plan to increase their action from Monday by not participating in any current cases before the crown courts. Of the 193 members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) who voted on the proposal, 89% backed a full withdrawal of services. Stormont Justice minister Naomi Long has committed to increasing their fee rates by 16%. Mr Lunny said the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland is headed the same way if the problems are not resolved. The real crisis is that barristers and solicitors firms aren’t doing criminal work because the legal aid rates are so poor,” he said.

Source: The Herald January 05, 2026 06:11 UTC