Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has said he is “not for turning” in a bitter row with solicitors that has impacted work in the criminal justice system.Speaking in Cork on Friday, O’Callaghan indicated that he would not reconsider a new payment model for solicitors under which they will receive a flat one-off legal aid fee of €520 irrespective of how many appearances they make to represent a client in the District Court. He said criticism of his approach from solicitors, which has been likened to Donald Trump, was “unfair”, arguing that he and the Department of Justice had been in discussion over the reforms with the Law Society since last year.“Reform is difficult, but having looked at the data that’s being produced by my department and having looked to see how the system of criminal legal aid in the District Court operates, I was absolutely certain there had to be reform in this area,” he said. “I think it is important to say that we have to ensure the system operates in the best interest of the Irish public and the people seeking access to justice and that has been my priority throughout this.”When asked, he said he was “not for turning” in the dispute.“My priority has been on the Irish public and ensuring not just that they get value for money but that there is efficiency in the District Court,” he said. He said there was “a lot of money” being earned by solicitors through the work and the State needed to get better “value for money”.[ Fianna Fáil committee members contradict Sinn Féin chairman on ‘legal aid reform’ positionOpens in new window ]Some 26 solicitors resigned from the panel from which representation for criminal legal aid is drawn on Thursday. The Minister said there were about 825 solicitors listed on the criminal legal aid panel for the work. “It’s a very competitive panel, there’s a lot of money being earned in it ... They do a very good job in terms of solicitors providing that assistance, legal aid assistance in the District Court,” he said.Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan. Photograph: Enda O'Dowd “I very much commend the solicitors and barristers for the work they do, but my priority is on the Irish public and ensuring not just that they get value for money, but that there is efficiency within the District Court,” he said. O’Callaghan was speaking in Cork, where the Cabinet was meeting the visiting “college” of European commissioners, and commission president Ursula von der Leyen, a tradition marking the start of Ireland’s Council of the EU presidency.