Direction No. 1 of 2024 is issued to the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland (“the Agency”) under rule 5(1) of the Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009 (“the 2009 Rules”) and applies only to claims for costs for cases identified as falling within the pilot to fast track serious sexual offence cases involving children under 16 years in all Court Divisions in Northern Ireland, commencing 29 April 2024.