Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/CollinsA proposed new fees scale aimed at slashing legal costs payable by public bodies in environmental law cases is contrary to European Union law and would “harm environmental protection”, the Law Society of Ireland has said. The Law Society said it opposed the proposed, or any legal fees scale, and believed the best approach was to have non-binding guidelines on legal costs. Its opposition to the proposed scale echoed strong concerns in a submission by The Bar of Ireland, representing more than 2,000 barristers. The “perverse” policy outcomes included increased numbers of lay litigants which would delay, not speed up, the hearing of planning cases, it said. The proposed scale was modelled on the UK system, which was being scrutinised by the Aarhus Compliance Committee, it said.
