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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Anger at proposed legal aid cuts | Anger at proposed legal aid cuts |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The legal profession has hit back at Court Service plans to cut millions from the earnings of barristers and solicitors involved in legal aid work. | The legal profession has hit back at Court Service plans to cut millions from the earnings of barristers and solicitors involved in legal aid work. |
| Last week, it was revealed the Court Service wants to reduce the annual cost of legal aid in Northern Ireland, which currently stands at £90m. | Last week, it was revealed the Court Service wants to reduce the annual cost of legal aid in Northern Ireland, which currently stands at £90m. |
| Barristers and solicitors have insisted they are not paid too much. | Barristers and solicitors have insisted they are not paid too much. |
| Legal Aid is the system where the government pays the cost of lawyers for those who can not afford to pay. | Legal Aid is the system where the government pays the cost of lawyers for those who can not afford to pay. |
| The Court Service wants to introduce new fees and rules to reduce the cost. | The Court Service wants to introduce new fees and rules to reduce the cost. |
| It said the fees are much higher than in England and Wales and cannot be justified. | It said the fees are much higher than in England and Wales and cannot be justified. |
| It is estimated that the proposed changes would result in a reduction of 57% in fees for solicitors and about 30% for barristers. | It is estimated that the proposed changes would result in a reduction of 57% in fees for solicitors and about 30% for barristers. |
| The Bar Council, which represents barristers, and the Law Society, which represents solicitors, have both reacted angrily. | The Bar Council, which represents barristers, and the Law Society, which represents solicitors, have both reacted angrily. |
| They have until 5 December to respond to a Court Service consultation paper setting out the changes. | They have until 5 December to respond to a Court Service consultation paper setting out the changes. |
| They argue that reducing fees will deprive the public access to many of the best barristers and solicitors, who they said will no longer carry out legal aid work. | They argue that reducing fees will deprive the public access to many of the best barristers and solicitors, who they said will no longer carry out legal aid work. |
| Donald Eakin, of the Law Society, said graduated fees introduced in England and Wales in 2007 would not work in Northern Ireland. | Donald Eakin, of the Law Society, said graduated fees introduced in England and Wales in 2007 would not work in Northern Ireland. |
| "In England and Wales, many Crown court cases would never appear in a Crown court in Northern Ireland, so when the Court Service do their analysis of the cost per case, that skews the statistics," he said. | "In England and Wales, many Crown court cases would never appear in a Crown court in Northern Ireland, so when the Court Service do their analysis of the cost per case, that skews the statistics," he said. |
| "In Northern Ireland cases start off in the magistrates court, whereas in England and Wales they can go directly to the Crown court." | "In Northern Ireland cases start off in the magistrates court, whereas in England and Wales they can go directly to the Crown court." |
| Mr Eakin said the Law Society accepted that "any reforms will result in less work for solicitors and therefore a saving in the legal aid bill". | Mr Eakin said the Law Society accepted that "any reforms will result in less work for solicitors and therefore a saving in the legal aid bill". |
| "The difficulty we have is they are expecting solicitors to do the same work for a 57% reduction in fees - it would make the business non-viable and we have grave concerns many practitioners wouldn't want to do legal aid work," he said. | "The difficulty we have is they are expecting solicitors to do the same work for a 57% reduction in fees - it would make the business non-viable and we have grave concerns many practitioners wouldn't want to do legal aid work," he said. |
| "The impact on access for justice for people facing serious charges doesn't bear thinking about. | "The impact on access for justice for people facing serious charges doesn't bear thinking about. |
| "The call-out rate for a solicitor attending a police station is £43.35 per hour with a third uplift after 7pm - I defy anyone to get a plumber at 3am in the morning for those sorts of rates." | "The call-out rate for a solicitor attending a police station is £43.35 per hour with a third uplift after 7pm - I defy anyone to get a plumber at 3am in the morning for those sorts of rates." |