Published Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Justice Minister David Ford said offenders who are found to have the ability to pay after means testing will be billed.
Mr Ford told the Assembly he was also going to consider whether a limited public defender service should be set up to work on cases not taken by private legal firms.
The move was prompted by the threat of defendants going unrepresented during the recent industrial dispute between lawyers and the Government.
The minister's plan to reshape the justice system also includes measures on how to limit the cost of cases involving the theft of low-value items.
Recent trials over the theft of a bag of prawns and a pair of jeans triggered controversy.
A series of proposals outlined in an independent report commissioned by Mr Ford on improving access to justice were laid before the Assembly.
Undertaken by former civil servant Jim Daniell, it makes 159 conclusions and recommendations.
Many focus on efforts to cut the legal aid bill.
Proposals include the introduction of no win, no fee arrangements for lawyers in damages cases and the introduction of a standard fee to apply whether there is a guilty plea or the case goes to trial.
Diversionary measures have also been proposed as an alternative to prosecution for less serious first and second-time offenders.
The report will now be subject to a three-month public consultation but the minister pledged to bring forward proposals on the back of it in next year.
"When I was first elected Justice Minister, I informed the Assembly of my agenda to reshape the justice system to fit the needs of Northern Ireland," he said.
"That is only possible by identifying local solutions to local needs and to look and adopt different approaches that will serve our community better.
"The Access to Justice Review is fundamental to that agenda of reform and the publication of this report is a significant milestone in that work."
With regard to the recovery of legal aid, he said: "In the Justice Act, the Assembly legislated for new powers that will allow the recovery of legal aid costs from convicted defendants who can pay.
"That proposal has been endorsed by this report and I will be shortly publishing proposals for commencing those powers."
Mr Ford added: "In looking at Civil Legal Aid, the report considers how to give priority to the most vulnerable in society and how to encourage early resolution of disputes.
"It finds that cases concerning family and children account for 70% of the current spend of civil legal aid and this is clearly a problem that needs to be addressed.
"I support the finding that many cases do not necessarily need to be resolved in a court hearing and the recommendation for the use of mediation and other alternatives."