Questions

202. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether, under the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme, fees payable to solicitors will vary based on case complexity, number of charges, number of accused persons or duration of proceedings, or any other consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22919/26]

203. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will publish the analysis and evidence underpinning the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme, including any review of District Court cases used to inform the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22920/26]

204. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the evidence he has received which supports the assertion that the current criminal legal aid scheme incentivises unnecessary adjournments or inefficiencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22921/26]

205. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the projected annual savings arising from the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme; the details of any cost-benefit analysis undertaken, including potential downstream costs such as delays, appeals or retrials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22923/26]

206. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the proposed fee structure under the revised criminal legal aid scheme represents an increase or decrease in effective remuneration for solicitors undertaking criminal legal aid work, including any modelling carried out in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22924/26]

207. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the assessments that have been carried out on the potential impact of the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme on access to legal representation and the constitutional right to a fair trial; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22925/26]

208. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any assessment has been made of the risk that the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme could result in reduced participation by solicitors in criminal legal aid work; the implications of any such reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22926/26]

209. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of solicitors currently participating in the criminal legal aid scheme, the trends in participation in recent years; the workforce impact assessment conducted in relation to the proposed changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22927/26]

210. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the consultation process undertaken in relation to the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme; the stakeholders consulted; the nature of that consultation and the way in which feedback has informed the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22932/26]

211. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the proposed changes to the criminal legal aid scheme align with commitments in the Programme for Government to restore criminal legal aid fees; the basis for any assertion that the proposals constitute a restoration rather than a reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22933/26]

212. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the meetings that he or his officials held with the Law Society in respect of the criminal legal aid scheme since he took office and prior to the announcement of proposed changes to the fee structure under the scheme; whether any proposed meetings were cancelled or postponed by his Department; whether there are further meetings planned…

713. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of solicitors providing criminal legal aid services in each of the years from 2021 to 2025 on a per county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22135/26]

715. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of solicitors providing criminal legal aid services in each of the years from 2021 to 2025, on a per county basis, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22150/26]

716. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of barristers registered to receive criminal legal aid payments for the provision of criminal legal aid services in each of the years from 2021 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22151/26]

717. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of barristers who received a criminal legal aid payment for the provision of criminal legal aid services in each of the years from 2021 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22152/26]

718. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average and median amounts paid to a barrister providing criminal legal aid services in each of the years from 2021 to 2025; whether the figure includes VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22153/26]

21. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on his Department's engagement with the Law Society of Ireland and other stakeholders ahead of the changes to legal aid at the District Court; when it is proposed the changes will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20824/26]

1290. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he intends to overhaul the free legal aid system currently in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19015/26]

1291. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will remove the means test for access to civil legal aid in cases concerning domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19016/26]

1295. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the timeline and action plan for reform of the scheme of civil legal aid and advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19046/26]

1296. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the highly restrictive means test for access to civil legal aid in cases concerning domestic violence will be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19047/26]

1297. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the plans to make legal aid available in discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, equal pay, and maternity and pregnancy protection cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19048/26]

1298. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the plans to introduce a properly resourced national legal information and advice service for women, including victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19049/26]

1337. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of solicitors providing family law legal advice services under the Civil Legal Aid - Family Law Private Practitioner Panel in each of the years from 1995 to 2025 inclusive, on a per county basis, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19979/26]

1338. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of solicitors registered on the International Protection Legal Solicitors Panel under the Civil Legal Aid in each of the years from 1995 to 2025 inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19980/26]