People wrapping Irish tricolours around themselves at anti-asylum seeker protests is “disturbing”, Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman has said.
He condemned mask wearing and blockades in Santry this weekend as he vowed that there will be a “significant further decrease” in the number of people sleeping on the street.
Protesters told the Irish Mirror that they will not move from their blockade outside Airways Industrial Park where accommodation is expected to be provided to over 300 asylum protesters.
READ MORE: Taoiseach says protests at asylum seeker accommodation 'goes against being Irish'
Speaking outside Government Buildings, Minister O’Gorman said that the protests in Santry had gone too far and that he does not believe that the local community is represented by them.
“I've always recognised people have a right to protest and people have a right to disagree with Government's decisions in terms of the accommodation of international protection applicants,” he said.
“I don't believe blockading is acceptable. I don't believe people in masks is acceptable. I think that goes far beyond any elements of legitimate protest.
“I think it is disturbing to see people kind of wrapping the tricolour around themselves because I don't believe that's what the very significant majority of Irish people believe in either.
“We continue to engage with An Garda Síochána in terms of them supporting my department, my officials in terms of accessing, accessing new accommodation centres and keeping existing accommodation centres safe.”
He added that there has been “extensive” engagement with locals in Santry about the accommodation centre and “I’m not sure these masked people represent those communities”.
Minister O’Gorman said that up to 30 meetings have been held with politicians or local communities about refugee accommodation and there has “never been any sense that we wouldn't engage”.
He said that while he will listen to queries that may arrive, “I’ve always been honest and upfront in that we have to achieve accommodation”.
“Often there are preconceptions, maybe about international protection applicants and we look to engage with those. We’ve always been open to engagement.”
When it was put to Minister O’Gorman that far-right protests have been policed differently to other protests, the Minister said that he has to “respect the knowledge and know-how of An Garda Síochána”.
He later confirmed that the Government is looking at the possibility of floatels for international protection seekers. Minister O’Gorman said that this is being looked at rather than cruise ships as there are very few places cruise ships can be docked in Ireland.
Floatels, he explained, are more flexible.
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