Jim O'Callaghan

I think the comments were inappropriate, but I don't believe Bertie Hearn is a racist.

Well, again, you know, I'm not in the business of directing people what they should or shouldn't do.

Just at the outset as well, like I suppose it is a reflection of modern society that people are now secretly recording people when they're having conversations with them.

You know, that's something that I must say I don't like the sound of that.

I think if I'm having a conversation with somebody

that it isn't recorded, unless they're going to tell me it's going to be recorded.

But listen, it has attracted a lot of attention.

I think it was inappropriate of them to identify certain nationalities or people from a certain continent, because when we're talking about migration and immigration, it's important we have a discussion about it.

I think the issue is that it should be discussed at a principle basis, rather than saying, well, people from this country are better than people from that country.

Well, listen, I've been on the doorsteps in Dublin Central for John Stevens and in Galway West for Cillian Keane.

And people are talking to me about

And maybe it's because I'm the minister for migration to have the opportunity.

So like people are discussing it.

And it is important that centre ground politicians and journalists such as yourselves are able to discuss it openly and to be able to discuss it in an orderly and mature fashion.

And like there is a big issue that needs to be discussed.

And sometimes I'm concerned that the only time we discuss it is in the context of, you know, an event that has occurred, whether or not it's Bertie O'Hearn's comments, whether it's not, you know, sometimes there's an attack by a person who's a migrant and that generates a big discussion about it.

We need to be able to discuss it maturely and objectively and look to see to what extent is immigration good for Ireland.

My own view is it has been very good for Ireland.

Like, historically, people left this country.

Now people are coming in, and I suppose we're entitled to have a mature discussion about to what extent do we want to control it.