Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he “hopes” there are no protests at new accommodation centres for asylum seekers as he stated that “disinformation” must be tackled.
However, both the Fine Gael leader and Junior Integration Minister Joe O’Brien would not be drawn on what form a new long-delayed communications campaign will take.
Mr Varadkar once again called for a blockade in Inch, Co Clare, to be stood down as groups continued to picket accommodation being provided for asylum seekers. The blockade has been in place since Monday evening.
READ MORE: Unfazed asylum seekers brush off protests outside Clare hotel insisting they feel safe and happy
When asked if he or other senior ministers would travel to meet with locals in Clare, Mr Varadkar did not directly answer.
He said: “There have been some engagements already involving ministers and public reps and there will be further engagement. I don't want to get into the detail of that at the moment.
“But there will be further engagement with the local community there. I think it is important that people's concerns are listened to, that they’re provided information.”
Mr Varadkar also welcomed support from TDs in Dún Laoghaire following the announcement that a new asylum accommodation centre would be opened in the area.
Minister O’Brien denied reports that politicians in Santry were not briefed, saying that all local TDs, including the Social Democrats’ Róisín Shortall, were informed.
When asked by the Irish Mirror what the Government was going to do to tackle far-right actors travelling to sites of new centres to protest, Mr Varadkar said that it was “difficult because this is a democracy”.
He continued: “Certainly, the Gardaí have a role in policing or managing protests and the Garda Commissioner [Drew Harris] has given us an assurance that they have operational integrity around that.
“We have the legislation that is coming through now on regulating social media. On top of that, we're updating our laws around incitement of hatred and hate speech.
“Probably the best thing we can do is for those of us in positions of responsibility to speak up and to explain what's happening here, to talk to communities to give them reassurance.
“The best way to counter disinformation is information and the best way to counter hate is with facts and positive feeling and reassurance.”
Both the Taoiseach and Minister O’Brien would not be drawn on what will be contained in a new “communications plan” that will be rolled out in the coming months, noting that it was out to tender.
Elsewhere, Justice Minister Simon Harris said that the far-right cannot be allowed to “conflate issues” and that several protests have “crossed the line”.
He added that Gardai had made arrests and prosecuted people that have organised events that he claimed go "beyond protests".
"I can absolutely say this with certainty from security briefings and others that I receive that we are seeing a relatively small number of bad actors, far-right activists, call them what you wish, who do travel from location to location around the country, who do whip up fear and who do prey on vulnerability.
"And there is a world of difference between that activity and the genuine questions that people can have about their own community which is entirely appropriate.”
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