On the family law section, I want to raise one issue with the Minister. I was the beneficiary of the criminal legal aid scheme for many years. Concerns have been expressed by people who are on the scheme. As the Minister knows, a flat fee payment is coming in from 1 July and people will only be paid at the very end, when a case finishes in court. If people appear once or if they appear 20 times, they will only be paid at the very end. There are scenarios, particularly for vulnerable people, children, and people who do not have English as a first language, where the cases go on and on, sometimes appearing 12, 15 or 20 times, and those representing them are only paid once. We saw with the family law courts, in Kerry, for example, that there are only three or four solicitors left on the scheme after the introduction of a flat fee. Will the Minister review where people appear more than five or six times, because there could be a scenario where someone represents someone eight, nine or even ten times, then the client changes solicitor, and the new solicitor could get paid for one appearance and the person who has been there eight or nine times is not paid at all? There will be learnings from it. From the family law courts, just learn that the number of people representing has gone down. Just like in family law, where it is important that people receive representation and there is access to justice, it is the same with criminal law cases.

Sentiment score: 0.04