Legal Aid Standoff Deepens as O'Callaghan Faces Solicitor Revolt and Housing Data Disappoints

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan is locked in a month-long standoff with the legal profession over his controversial flat-fee payment model for criminal legal aid. The dispute has escalated dramatically, with solicitors withdrawing their services across the country. In Tipperary, only one solicitor remains available for free legal aid cases, creating a crisis in access to justice. The minister frames this as necessary reform to control spiralling costs, but the...