Naomi Long

In a statement yesterday evening, Naomi Long said she was “hugely disappointed” that the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) had voted to extend its boycott of legally aided cases in the Crown Court for a further four weeks.

Bar Council chairperson Donal Lunny KC has accused the Department of Justice of having “failed to engage meaningfully with the Bar in respect of the serious concerns which have given rise to the CBA’s action”.

“Such limited engagement as there has been has served to exacerbate, rather than to alleviate, the concerns of the CBA around the Department’s approach to the administration of the system of criminal legal aid in our Crown Courts,” he said.

Mrs Long insisted she was “engaging with the legal profession”, saying she had “requested a meeting with the Bar and I already have a meeting scheduled with the Law Society”.

She said the strike would add to the “stress and anxiety” experienced by victims and witnesses and pointed out she had promised a 16 per cent uplift in fees at some point in the future.

“I think most people would find a 16 per cent uplift in their fees quite significant,” she said.

“In addition, I have determined that the 16 per cent increase will also apply to civil and family legal aid frameworks. Taken together, this represents an estimated increase of £9.8 million per annum.

“However, there is a process to go through, not least in terms of delivering legislation to underpin the fee increases.”

She added: “The people who are suffering are not the barristers who are on strike — they are the victims who are waiting for serious cases to be heard, they are the police, PPS and the judiciary.

“However, my priority has to be the vulnerable victims who are suffering unimaginable distress.

“We need to bring this to a conclusion and I am a willing partner in wanting to achieve that, but we have to meet each other halfway.”