Jim O'Callaghan

And those reductions in costs have been achieved through difficult reforms that Colm and I have introduced as policies.

It's a very significant change that has been made during the course of this Government, and as well as that, in 2025, the State spent €3.7 billion on international protection accommodation, and this year, we're seeing an allocation of less…

In 2024, the cost of Ukrainian accommodation was €1.16 billion. In 2026, this was down to €606 million, and we're looking next year to have an allocation in the region of €177 million.

I would appeal to solicitors to come along with the majority of our colleagues who are providing the service under the criminal legal aid scheme.

I remain open to continued engagement with the Law Society and my officials are available to discuss operational issues that may arise in the implementation of the scheme.

I should also say that I find the position of the Law Society in relation to the new scheme somewhat contradictory.

All our focus should be on what’s in the best interests of court users.

I made a series of concessions.

The criminal courts are operating, and they’re operating effectively.

I’m satisfied that there are solicitors who are operating the scheme and doing so effectively.

The biggest reform of Ireland's citizenship rules in a generation

25,000 new citizens given citizenship last year is a significant number,

Citizenship is a privilege, not a right

The payments were not intended to be compensation for injuries, rather for the delays in providing justice.

I have asked the Irish presidency team to convene a meeting tomorrow of the EU’s integrated political crisis response [IPCR] mechanism and a meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday.

I have been in contact with [Spain's interior minister] Fernando Grande-Marlaska today to express my solidarity and support to the Spanish government as they deal with the situation in Ceuta.

The request for adjournments needs to be dealt with much more stringently and it should not be happening on the routine basis that it is happening now.

By changing the fee structure, and I have responsibility for the fee structure, my view is that by changing the fee structure it will reduce the incentive to seek or to agree to adjournments.

But my changes are designed to ensure that the system within the District Court is speeded up.

I will meet with them. I have no difficulty meeting with them. And I'm sure there are some areas in terms of where they can make points to me that I will accept and engage with them.

What I'm trying to ensure is that cases are determined promptly in the district court.

Some solicitors think that if they put enough pressure on the system to disrupt cases, that this is going to result in political pressure on me, and I'm going to revoke the regulations. That's not going to happen.

I think we need to see evidence. I'm not prepared to make really important decisions or proposals on important decisions without seeing the hard evidence.

Because the data in that report is just unanswerable that something needs to be done in the district court.