A protest is being held in Newtownmountkennedy in Co Wicklow over plans to accommodate International Protection Applicants in tents on a site outside the village.
Locals said they are disappointed about the lack of consultation about the use of the site.
The Department of Integration said it is considering locating 20 eight person tents on the former HSE site known as Trudder House or River Lodge.
RTÉ News understands that most of the men from Crooksling are due to be moved to the Co Wicklow site.
The department said the HSE offered the site to address the shortfall in accommodation for International Protection Applicants.
A protest has been taking place outside the State-owned property, located a short distance outside the village, for the past two weeks.
Locals have expressed concern over a lack of consultation from the Government and a lack of amenities in the village which has grown exponentially in recent years.
Mother of three Aoife Nolan from the village said she felt there were not enough resources in the area for local people.
"People in Newtownmountkennedy, they don't have education, they have no sports facilities, they don't have enough and our children are Irish citizens," she said.
"They're entitled to this, and I think we need to look after our own first and then we will welcome everybody in," she added.
Grandmother Theresa Murphy, who lives on the road beside Trudder House, said those taking part in protests have been accused of racism but she said they were just concerned about the plans for the former HSE site.
"Don't band us as racists, we're not racist," Ms Murphy said.
"We're concerned people wanting to know and wanting answers you know," she said.
"There just isn't room and there really is nothing for them here," she added.
Kevin Haig who runs a local glamping site said locating International Protection Applicants on the small rural road with no footpaths was inappropriate.
"You cannot dump human beings in tents, in a field in the middle of nowhere in Wicklow in March," he said.
"It is inhumane, and it is immoral," he added.
Fianna Fáil Senator Pat Casey said locals had been given the wrong information about what was happening on the site and that the Government, and the incoming Taoiseach and local Fine Gael TD Simon Harris need to reflect on how they are communicating with communities.
"We were told that this site is being assessed as a potential location for people seeking international protection and as you can quite clearly see here, an assessment didn't take place here," Mr Casey said.
"What's taking place is preparation of this ground for what we were eventually told at 8:30am on Friday morning, that this was to facilitate 20 tents of eight people which is 160 people here," he said.
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady said the Newtownmountkennedy community had campaigned for the former local HSE premises at River Lodge House to be transferred to the community.
"We have heard consistently from the department that the premises are not fit for purpose or for human use," he said.
Deputy Brady said "the reality" was that locals could see bulldozers on the site, stripping back topsoil and putting down hard-core stone along with prefabs.
"Is it any wonder that communities are up in arms? The Government's actions are fostering local anger and protest," he added.
In a statement, the Department of Integration said plans for the site have not yet been finalised.
It said its Community Engagement Team are liaising with local representatives.
A meeting between the Department of Integration and local residents is due to take place next week.
