Sir, – I can sympathise at the situation of very poor fees for barristers providing criminal legal aid (“Barristers step up protests over ‘pitiful’ criminal legal aid fees”, Home News, July 15th). However, their profession will get little sympathy so long as they refuse to reform their own ranks – to change their own services to allow direct access for ordinary people needing their specialist legal advice.
In general, barristers continue with the restrictive practice of only allowing access through solicitors – making the cost of legal advice beyond the means of many ordinary people. – Yours, etc,
JOHN SUTTLE,
Dublin 3.