Criminal barristers say the rise in criminal court cases and low fees is making the profession completely unsustainable.
Members of the Bar Council of Cork withdrew their services today and are standing on the steps of the Courthouse on Washington Street.
Fees for criminal barristers are still the same as they were in 2002 and The Bar of Ireland are calling on the Government to increase their pay.
Speaking to RedFM News, Tom Creed, Senior Council says barristers have suffered a 40 percent pay cut over the last 20 years:
"When I started there was very little criminal work there, I could do it and do my civil work. It's different today, you have Anglesea Street, it's all crime, so practitioners are much more specialised. And the problem is that 60 percent are gone after five or six years because it's not sustainable, because it takes a while to build a practice, because the DPP only picks you if you're experienced, so you would want to be five or six years in before the DPP picks you for an important case."
