Can you talk about maybe what do you see has changed perhaps from that time to now? Do you think that the government was behind public opinion at the time? Or do you think it's still a very divisive issue? And is it a difficult one for, say, migration, you know, handling it is one to walk?

Yeah, migration is a hugely significant issue in the 21st century, not just in Ireland or Europe, but throughout the world.

And when people write the history of the 21st century, migration will be a very central part of the first 25, 30 years of the century.

And it's not just an issue in Europe or indeed in Europe.

North America.

You look in South Africa at present, there's huge issues in respect of immigration.

I'm not going to criticise any previous colleagues because I recognise that situations change.

Are things going to be back operating as normal come October?

How is this row going to be resolved?

Well, first of all, I regret the fact that there is a row, but my focus on this, and the focus of everyone involved in this dispute, should be what's in the best interests of the public and what's in the best interest of the court users.

I did research within the department of three hundred and fifty thousand criminal cases between twenty twenty-two and twenty twenty-three, and it showed that the length of time it takes for a criminally legal aid funded case to be concluded was five appearances, whilst for a non-criminally legal aided funded cases, it was for three appearances.

So because of that, that's the basis upon which I introduced the flat fee of five hundred and twenty euro, which gives recognition to the fact of there being five appearances.

If solicitors were found to be abusing the system, a-as you make that claim, have they been reported or investigated?

The system that exists under the regulations at present permits, in exceptional circumstances, for good reasons, for solicitors to apply for more than one certificate for one accused who's before the District Court.

So, for instance, if an individual is charged with fifteen counts of theft, what's happening at present is that a solicitor is sharing the fifteen charges around the solicitor's firm and ensuring that there's the fee of two hundred and forty for each count.

Now, that is permissible under the rules at present.

What data do you have regarding claims for international protection since the pact came into force?

Well, as you said, the International Protection Act, which is the legislation that went through the Houses of the Oireachtas, which is transposing the migration pact, I commenced that on the 12th of June.

So we're only looking at two weeks now.

It's very early stages, but obviously the whole purpose of the legislation, the whole purpose of the agreement amongst EU member states was to try to apply a more vigorous system.

And the early numbers indicate that the number of people claiming asylum are down very significantly.

In the first two weeks, 272 people have claimed asylum in Ireland, which is significantly lower.

It's about a half of what it usually is.

Is this not a mess of your making and raises questions over your ministerial capacity to deliver change?

It is a much diminished force from where it was 100 years ago.

Well, I don't know about that.

100 years ago, like, it was just embryonic.

Nobody thought it was gonna get off the ground.

It has been, uh, the most successful political party, uh, in Ireland.

It has been one of the most successful political party, uh, in the world, if you look at it over the past, uh, 100 years.

It has been centrally involved in leading this country to the position that it occupies, uh, today.

Like, what would you like to be your greatest association as a policy, as a politician?

The savagery of this is extraordinary.

Yeah, it was clearly an attack that was designed to kill.

This wasn't by calling it arson.

I think... underscores the severity of it.

This was a murder that was carried out by using fire to kill the people in the house.

When you look at the damage to the property, you can see that there is very visible damage.

There was obviously accelerants that were used.

Now, I understand you're not Minister for Defence, but as Minister for Justice, do Do you have a view on the nature of this drone attack?