Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland have voted to extend their industrial action for an additional four weeks, prolonging a strike that began in November 2024 in protest over legal aid funding rates. The decision follows a ballot by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), where 77% of participating barristers supported extending the strike through February.
The dispute centres on what the CBA describes as a significant erosion in legal aid remuneration over the past two decades. Adjusted for inflation, rates are reported to have fallen by 47% to 58% since 2005. Legal aid is a critical mechanism that provides free legal representation for individuals unable to afford it, particularly in magistrates’ and crown courts.
The Bar Council’s chair, Donal Lunny KC, called the decision to extend the strike “regrettable but inevitable,” attributing it to what he described as insufficient engagement by the Department of Justice. Efforts to address concerns about the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid system, he said, have been largely unproductive and have exacerbated frustrations within the profession. Barristers participating in the strike have already withdrawn services in serious criminal cases such as murder and manslaughter, and starting in February, they will also refuse instructions in multi-complainant cases.
The strike has caused significant disruption at Belfast Crown Court, with many arraignments, pleas, and trials adjourned or postponed in January. With the industrial action now extended, it is anticipated that cases re-listed for February will also face delays, compounding challenges in the administration of justice.
The Bar Council has reiterated that barristers are eager to return to courtrooms but are driven to industrial action as a “last resort” due to unsustainable conditions. As the strike continues, pressure mounts on the Department of Justice to engage meaningfully with the legal profession to resolve the dispute and restore normal operations in Northern Ireland’s courts.
