Courts / Ireland / Report
Legal challenge to fee caps for defence reports of 'considerable concern', judge says
Summary
A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, expressed concern over a proposed legal challenge to the Department of Justice's fee caps on psychiatric reports for defendants. The judge noted that only a dwindling number of experts are available to prepare such reports for defence. He had been informed that the Department had offered a higher hourly rate for prosecution psychiatrists, up to 50% more than the Criminal Legal Aid Unit's rate. Senior counsel Brendan Grehan had previously complained that the Department's policy limited the hours approved for a defence psychiatrist, causing difficulties in securing assessments. The matter was resolved when the Department approved the full 25 hours originally requested. Mr Justice McDermott welcomed the resolution and warned against further delays, noting the broader concern about the availability of psychiatric experts for defence work.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Legal challenge to fee caps for defence reports of 'considerable concern', judge says. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- April 12 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-02-07 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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