'I don't cash in on the legal aid system.. in fact recent cuts mean it's impossible to make a living solely from it' FLAMBOYANT LAWYER CAHIR O'HIGGINS.
Byline: CATHAL McMAHON irishsundaymirror@mgn.ieHE'S the solicitor who has come under fire for profiting from Ireland's legal aid system.
But Cahir O'Higgins insists he could have made much more money in other areas of law.
Last year he earned more than [euro]670,000 from the State - making him the second best paid.
But although the charismatic brief has represented high-profile clients such as Leonard Watters - who falsely accused Louis Walsh of sexual assault - and protester Joe McNamara, he told the Irish Sunday Mirror that the numbers are misleading.
Cahir said: "Although the figures are in a particular solicitor's name, they are not reflective of actual take-home pay of that person."
He claimed he has 17 staff and the figures include VAT, fees paid to barristers at district court level, outlays on the files and also the usual costs of running a practice.
He added: "The recent cuts have brought the legal aid scheme to breaking point whereby it is extremely difficult to make a living from legal aid exclusively, if not impossible.
"In reality the legal aid scheme in my office is actually being subsidised by other areas of private work, including privately paid criminal law work and other areas of privately funded law such as employment law, personal injuries, probate and property etc."
The son of two TDs - Michael O'Higgins and Bridget Hogan O'Higgins - as well as the grandson of government ministers Tom O'Higgins and Patrick Hogan, Cahir is never far from the headlines.
Famed for his chalk-striped suits, the solicitor has found himself defending many of Ireland's most high-profile criminals.
He comes from Kilreakle, Co Galway, and first became interested in law at University College Galway in the 1990s.
It was here that he pursued his other great passion - karate - and the dad-of-four is not afraid to reveal that he got a Second Dan Black Belt in the sport before a bad injury two years ago.
He has now replaced the martial art with ironman triathlons and isn't shy about listing his achievements.
He is coached by Peter Kearns at the T3 Triathlon Club for several hours each day, starting at 5.30am.
Cahir said: "Triathlon is a huge part of my life and sport has always been a huge part of my life. I moved from karate to weightlifting to triathlon.
"I would deal with upwards of 100 people a day on different phone calls, text messages, emails. It's very important to disengage from what I do professionally because what I do professionally is incredibly stressful and incredibly intense.
"I am dealing with people at their greatest crisis point in life. Half the time is spent reassuring them.
"If you are dealing with a paedophile or a murderer you are dealing with a human being who is enormously distressed."
Cahir has represented all members of society, from the poorest of the poor all the way up to Judge Heather Perrin.
He admits that he would represent anyone who comes before him, within reason, and says it's never a case of being repulsed by someone's actions or crimes.
He explained: "It's more a question of being unable to represent them because they are just not the right fit for me or the firm.
"There are certain people who will give you instructions that are so at odds with reality, that are so likely to be disbelieved, that you must tell them that they are likely to be disbelieved.
"I will give them a realistic and honest assessment of their case. If a client is perjuring themselves, or threatening towards you, then in that case you have to steer clear."
Cahir is known in the courts for representing members of the Roma community.
And such is his popularity among the Romas that one family has even named one of their children after him.
CAHIR ON.. HIS WORK 'My clients are at crisis point..half the time is spent reassuring them' CAHIR ON.. HIS CLIENTS 'If you deal with a paedophile they are a distressed human being' CAHIR ON.. HIS CASES 'It's never a case of being repulsed by someone's actions or crimes'
CAPTION(S):
Big case... Watters (top) and Walsh
Cahir says sport is hugely important to him
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| Publication: | Sunday Mirror (London, England) |
|---|---|
| Geographic Code: | 4EUIR |
| Date: | Mar 24, 2013 |
| Words: | 702 |
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