Criminal solicitors in Northern Ireland have withdrawn their services in Crown court cases in a dispute over legal aid fees.

Their action follows the introduction of a payment regime that solicitors say cuts the fees paid for Crown court work by 54% in real terms.

The cuts arise from a reduction in the legal aid budget from £104m in 2009 to £75m by 2012/13.

Proposals put forward for an alternative payment scheme which would come within the budget were rejected by justice minister David Ford.

Pearse MacDermott, executive member of the Solicitors Criminal Bar Association, told the Gazette that nearly every solicitor in the province who performs legal aid work has decided to take action.

The lawyers are refusing to continue cases when they are transferred to the Crown court.

MacDermott said 74 cases have been returned to the Crown court without a solicitor on record, but no trials have been affected.

An NI Justice Department spokesman said Crown court spending had tripled in the past decade and could not continue unchecked.