Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has disagreed with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s statement that there are not enough Gardaí in Dublin to combat anti-asylum protests.
The Fine Gael leader made the comments in Limerick on Monday, several days after a large protest at a makeshift campsite on Sandwith Street in Dublin.
A fire was started which destroyed the belongings of many asylum seekers who have had nowhere to live since arriving in Ireland.
READ MORE: Taoiseach does not believe there are enough Gardaí to handle anti-asylum protests
Mr Ryan, who is a TD for the Sandwith Street area, disagreed with the Taoiseach’s assessment that there are not enough Gardaí on the street.
He said: “I know that [Integration] Minister [Roderic] O’Gorman and [Justice] Minister [Simon] Harris have been in touch right through the weekend with the Garda authorities.
“I don't believe it's a lack of resources which is restricting or causing it.
“The problem is you have people deciding to organise to effectively, in a very provocative way, to attack the most vulnerable people at their most vulnerable time.
“I think the guards did a really good job. I think they have the resources.
“But the underlying issue solution isn't just a policing one. It has to be providing other accommodation. We will do that.”
Minister Ryan later explained that he had spoken to Minister Harris and O’Gorman and they are “all in agreement that it isn’t a garda resource issue here”.
“The problem is those protesters,” he continued.
“They're putting everyone in danger with the nature of their protest, rather than the lack of garda resources.
“I think the guards did a really good job in very difficult circumstances.”
Mr Ryan described the protests in Dublin as “an absolute disgrace”. He said that the Government is examining what can be done to provide more accommodation.
He added: “We're absolutely committed to doing everything we can to reduce the number of tents, to stop people having to use tents and to provide alternative accommodation.”
He made the comments just a day after the Taoiseach said he did not believe that there were enough Gardaí on the streets of Dublin.
He said: "That’s why we've provided funding in the Budget for this year to recruit an additional 1,000 gardaí.
"That will be more than enough to cover retirements and resignations. We are seeing the number of gardaí increase again, over 14,000 guards now. We're going to try and head for 15,000. We're hiring more garda staff as well."
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