I am the wife of a defence barrister. I stood on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice with barristers on the 2 March 2022, 4 April 2022, 2 May 2023, 14 July 2023 and 3 October 2023.

I will be on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice next Tuesday 9th July to support all barristers — and not just those practising in the higher courts.

All wives, husbands, partners etc. must be there showing their support and frustration at not seeing their loved ones due to high volumes of work with nothing to show when the paycheque fades into inflation.

The Bar of Ireland is playing catch-up, giving the illusion that protests only happened on the 3rd October. I was there on 14 July 2023 when the chair of the Bar was also present.

Now the Bar of Ireland is publicly asking its members to write to politicians to let them know. This is the essence of failure. Publicly begging others to win your fight.

What is the Bar of Ireland afraid of?

I am a medical professional. I get paid more than €27.72 for my work.

Fiona Gray Lalor