Criminal barristers in Belfast are set to withdraw their services on Monday in protest against fee levels for their work.
The Bar of Northern Ireland said barristers voted not to take on any new “Category A” cases going forward. These include the offences of murder and manslaughter.
This means they will not attend criminal court for any work or engage in any associated legal administration work, except for emergency matters.
A protest, due to take place outside the Royal Courts of Justice at 11am on Monday, will take place ahead of the strike.
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The Bar Council had been exploring “every possible alternative measure and has consistently called for urgent action from the department of justice to avoid any withdrawal of service taking place” but a lack of funding and engagement had led to the strike, chair of the Bar of Northern Ireland, Donal Lunny, said ahead of the action.
“This is now a grave situation where we have been forced to highlight publicly that the current system is wholly unsustainable,” he said.
Crown court fees have not been increased in almost 20 years and barristers are sometimes waiting three to four months to be paid.
Barristers are asking that the department of justice “immediately publish the independent review of criminal legal Aid” and provide a fair interim uplift in fees.
Barristers are self-employed practitioners and many were “not just struggling but are at breaking point,” Lunny added.
The criminal legal aid system was “no longer fit for purpose” and this was having a “profound impact” on barristers.
“We understand the concern this will cause to victims and those seeking justice in relation to serious crimes. However, victims should be in no doubt that it is the department’s prolonged inaction that has brought us to today’s crisis,” Lunny said.
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