Gary Gannon: “It is a shoddy and, ultimately, very damaging way to do business because the courts are now in chaos.”

Thousands of cases have already been adjourned, people facing serious charges are unable to get legal advice and criminal courts have effectively come to a standstill.

I would be raising the issue as much as possible and called on Minister O'Callaghan to get back into the room with the Law Society to try find common ground.

Those delays have implications, very serious ones, for victims of crime.

The decision taken by the Minister for Justice, a unilateral decision, has resulted in our system of criminal legal aid and justice effectively grinding to a halt.