THREE criminal defence solicitors made more than €1m each in legal aid fees while the overall cost of the scheme soared to a record high of over €53m in 2008.

The cost to the taxpayer of the criminal legal aid scheme jumped by €9m in just 12 months last year.

In 2008, solicitors shared in a bounty of €33.3m while barristers divided €19.6m, according to figures released to the Sunday Tribune.

The top-earning state-paid criminal solicitor last year was Dublin-based Michael Staines at more than €1.3m. He was followed by John M Quinn at €1.1m – equalled by top-earning woman solicitor Yvonne Bambury – and Frank Buttimer at €945,760.

One of Staines most high-profile clients last year was disgraced GP Paschal
Carmody, who has been struck off the medical register.

All four solicitors have consistently ranked among the top earners over the past few years. Meanwhile, some 38 solicitors earned over €200,000 each in legal aid fees while another 84 made more than €100,000.

The highest-paid barrister last year was senior counsel Brian McInerney, who earned €437,479. He has previously represented disgraced circuit court judge Brian Curtin and was involved in one of the most high-profile trials of 2007 when he represented Joe O'Reilly during his murder trial.

Last year, McInerney defended paedophile Jerome Bailey of Bayview House, Ballyard, Tralee, who was convicted of four counts of indecent assault on two boys.

The barrister with the second greatest earning power paid for by the state was senior counsel Luigi Rea, who earned close to €400,000. The third highest-earning barrister last year was senior counsel Blaise O'Carroll who pocketed €362,147. Last year he represented one of three Britons convicted for involvement in a €440m cocaine-smuggling operation.

The fourth highest earning barrister was Seán Gillane who made €321,639 through the state-paid criminal legal aid scheme. Last year, he represented Martin 'The Beast' Morgan, convicted for running a multi-million euro brothel operation in Dublin.

It was announced three months ago that barristers handling criminal cases were to have their fees cut by 8% by the DPP as part of the government's cost-cutting measures.

Fine Gael justice spokes­man Charlie Flanagan said it was unacceptable that crime bosses, who clearly have amassed substantial assets through their illegal activities, can still receive legal aid when brought before the courts.

Flanagan called for the Criminal Assets Bureau to have a role in gangland cases where legal aid is granted.

Pat Rabbitte, Labour justice spokesman, has said the fact that a multi-millionaire can avail of free legal aid shows the need for the introduction of a means test.