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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Freedom of Information figures show more than €2m of taxpayers money has been paid out to solicitors and legal representatives in Longford courts over the past two and a half years.
More than €2m of taxpayers money has been paid out to solicitors and legal representatives in Longford courts over the past two and a half years.
That's according to figures obtained by the Leader under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) from the Department of Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office.
In total, €2.06m was awarded to various legal firms and barristers from 2018 to June 2020 with the vast bulk of the monies coming via two criminal legal aid schemes.
The largest medium through which free legal representation was provided during those years was through the Department of Justice's Custody Issues Scheme.
It showed that between 2018 and June of this year €1.9m was spent on the Legal Aid Board's Custody Issues Scheme.
It provides payment to Longford defendants for legal representation in the High Court and the Supreme Court for certain types of cases not covered by civil legal aid or the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.
A large portion of that bill, the Leader understands, has come on foot of a number of High Court bail applications sought by a number of individuals currently embroiled in Longford town's ongoing feuding between rivalling criminal gangs.
Earlier this year, the Leader told of how three members of a well known crime family had been granted bail after taking their case to the High Court.
The trio were among a group of 11 men charged following an alleged violent row on Longford's Main Street last year.
In a statement, a Department of Justice spokesperson said it had no role in who or which parties were awarded free legal representation at local or high court level by insisting it merely oversaw its operation.
“Under the 1962 Act, the courts, through the judiciary, are responsible for the granting of legal aid. Criminal Legal aid is demand led and the fees and expenses due to the legal practitioners are paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the schemes,” said the spokesperson.
“The Department of Justice and Equality administers the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.
“However, it has no involvement in the running of the scheme, the granting of free legal aid or assignment of lawyers.”
In separate documents provided to the Leader, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) revealed it had paid out a further €116,500 to barristers in administering prosecutions between 2018 and the end of May. Unlike the figures provided by the Department of Justice, they cover Longford District and Circuit Court sittings specifically.
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