Overcrowded conditions have been blamed as the reason for brawl breaking out in a refugee centre last night.
Gardai were called out to the Citywest refugee centre last night just after 6.30pm due to two groups of men fighting. Three men were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
No arrests have been reported. Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland co-founder Lucky Khambule said crowded conditions and a mix of cultures were the reasons for the incident.
Read more: Three hospitalised following public order incident at Citywest accommodation
He told RTE's Morning Ireland: "My understanding from speaking to the people from there is that it started with a group that were throwing bottles to each other. Then the whole thing started and blew up like that.
"An issue there is people don't understand each other and overcrowding - there are too many people there in a small space and people are living there for a longer time than they are supposed to."
He added: "What also happened which was good was the fact that some women and children were moved yesterday. We have been calling for this so the kids don't see what is happening there."
The original capacity for the centre was 370 people. However, the centre is currently accommodating 800 and there were 900 people there last week.
Lucky added: "It's overcrowded, it is up to capacity. The Government should not keep putting people there.
"And remember, people don't have anything to do there - they are in one space 24/7. Things like this are bound to happen when you put a group of people from all different nationalities together."
Lucky added that people will always come to Ireland even if there is a prospect of homelessness as Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman has warned. He said: "No, it won't make any difference... people will always come for whatever reason they come to the country.
"So, closing [Citywest] will not prevent that [asylum seekers coming to Ireland]. We should have alternative plans because this overcrowding is not starting now or today or this month, it has been there for the past six months."
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