Trim court cases deferred as barristers withdraw services

Court number 3 at Trim Courthouse normally bustles with gardai, solicitors and members of the public but today (Tuesday), the room resembled a scene from Tombstone as the much-heralded barristers' strike over cuts to their fees took hold.

Outside the impressive courthouse in the centre of town, barristers in their robes, supported by criminal law solicitors, paraded down the street to take up position on the "picket line" at the courthouse door. Some poetic licence can be taken with the word picket because, officially, this is not a strike. Barristers cannot under competition law organise action like this - so it is termed a withdrawal of services. They are pursuing claims for restoration of fees cut during the pandemic. They say that they have suffered cuts of up to 50 per cent.

The cuts mainly affected criminal law barristers but solicitors who deal with criminal law charges are also agitated over fees.

Documents boxes were lined up on the footpath at the barristers' feet bearing slogans like "cuts applied to frees 2008-2011 28.5 to 69%", "other workers in the criminal justice sector have had their pay restored".

Inside in the district court, Judge John Brennan struggled to make progress on the seven-page list in front of him. The courtroom was empty apart from Court Presenter Sergeant Peter Clarke and Garda Eileen Walsh who help process cases, court registrar Fiona Shine, two gardai on courtroom security, and a Meath Chronicle journalist.

It was obvious from the start that very little business would be done because of the absence of lawyers. The 10.25 list was started but most of these cases were put back to a November date. On to the 10.30 list and the story was the same, most cases put back. One family law application was dealt with in camera and the applicant, a woman, was in and out of the courtroom in minutes. On another case a man told the judge "my solicitor is out on strike". The judge made only one remark about the "strike" when he told one defendant "there is a withdrawal of services by counsel".

The barristers are adamant that they will continue to pursue their pay claim through all legitimate means. Further withdrawal of services could not be ruled out, they said.

A similar court protest was held at court houses in May this year and the lawyers have said that no progress has been made in the intervening period.