The pen is indeed mightier than justice itself.

Three years ago the Legal Aid bill dumped on the long suffering taxpayer topped €47 million. Head individual wigger or counsel got €7,127 for the first day and €1562 each day thereafter, and this is supposed to be a service for the poorest in our society while yet, a very rich one for the chosen few.

Senior counsel received a daily brief fee of €1,716 in the circuit court with a subsequent daily fee or refresher fee after the first day of €858.

Junior counsel received a daily brief fee of €4,752 for a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court along with a refresher or daily fee of €1,041, while junior counsel received a daily brief fee of €1,144 in the circuit court along with a refresher or daily fee of €572.

Solicitors received a brief fee just for one day of €7,127 for a case in the Central Criminal Court along with a refresher fee of €750 for each subsequent day while solicitors received a daily brief fee of €1,144 for cases in the circuit court along with a refresher fee of €418.

Ken Murphy  of the Lawless Society, sorry, I meant the Law Society, said then that Legal Aid work was the “thinnest of cats” believing obviously that better potions of meat that could be tore of the gullible public lay elsewhere. He added: "The reductions that practitioners have suffered have been savage and have caused huge pain to lawyers.” Pass the tissues round and bless his bleeding heart.

That can only mean the above figures were after the cuts then. Since that time the bleeding has long since stopped and very much started for the taxpayer for the fees have only gone one way since-up!  This, I believe, is nothing short of legal robbery but robbery all the same. If you want justice, go watch a television series for that is normally as good as it gets and the actors are never as good as the ones in a real life courtroom. The pen is indeed mightier than justice itself.

Barry Clifford