Michael Small, 54, is accused of multiple counts of theft, deception and accounting offences, alleged to have taken place over a two-year period while he was in practice as a solicitor in Limerick.

Mr Small previously appeared before Dublin District Court charged with five counts of theft, five counts of deception, five of failing to keep accounting records and another two of making or using false accounting documents, at locations in Limerick and Dublin in 2008 and 2009.

On Wednesday morning, his case came before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where Mr Small was due for arraignment. His lawyers told Judge Martin Nolan that Mr Small was seeking a trial.

Judge Martin Nolan set a date for trial on 9 January 2023.

Free legal aid was previously granted at district court when defence solicitor Cahir O’Higgins asked for legal aid to cover senior as well as junior counsel in the circuit court, given the seriousness of the charge, which involved allegations of €1.2m fraud.

At that hearing, a State solicitor told the district court that the case was “a quite involved and complex matter” and the allegations “involve a considerable” sum.