The Taoiseach has defended a change to refugee visa requirements, saying that it was a necessary response to the rising number of people seeking international protection.
From today, refugees travelling to Ireland from 20 European countries will be required to hold visas.
The measure, agreed by Cabinet yesterday, will tighten immigration rules amid an accommodation shortage for refugees.
Visa-free travel will still be available to Ukrainian nationals under the changes, which will be in place for one year.
Speaking during a visit to Japan, Micheál Martin said there was "concern in the Department of Justice on how that system was operating, so a decision was taken to suspend it (the Council of Europe Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees) for 12 months when we will review it".
He said Ireland was not the first country to take this action and added that given the current circumstances with the increase in the number of people seeking international protection, that this was "a wise move to take at this particular point".
Mr Martin said they could potentially have four or five times the number of people seeking international protection in Ireland in comparison to pre-pandemic times.
People fleeing the war in Ukraine have to be given priority at this point in time, he said.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that the key focus of the Government is to provide shelter and refuge to "refugees who are in trouble from across the world, particularly, of course, those from Ukraine who are fleeing war, death and real danger in that country".
He described the new immigration measures introduced yesterday as "fair and appropriate", adding that between 2019 and this year, there has been a three-fold increase in relation to applications from those in Council of Europe countries that already have refugee status.
Mr McConalogue said that the Government must prioritise those who do not already have refugee status in another country.
Minister Charlie McConalogue has described measures that require refugees travelling to Ireland from certain 'safe' European countries to hold visas as 'fair and appropriate' | Read more: https://t.co/Obbn13QU29 pic.twitter.com/IjmQgT5bQa
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Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has said it is not opposed to the Government move to tighten visa requirements for some refugees coming to Ireland.
Health spokesperson David Cullinane said that the Government should have prepared better for the point when accommodation was tight.
He said the way to avoid such situations is through proper planning and by listening to organisations like the Irish Refugee Council.
Mr Cullinane said the proposals on procuring holiday homes should have been implemented.
The chief executive of a group promoting migrant rights has said the changes appear to be a "knee-jerk reaction" to a different problem; the shortage of accommodation for people who need protection in Ireland.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, John Lannon of Doras said introducing "additional barriers" that would restrict the number of people who come here to seek international protection would be a "retrograde step".
He said: "I know the minister has referred to the possibility of abuse of the international protection system, but if there is abuse, it only comes to light when the International Protection Office checks protection applications and suspending the operation of the agreement that was in place means that some people might not be able to avail of the right now to apply for protection here."
He added that "having people sleeping on floors and chairs can't continue," and also warned against the use of tents to accommodate people.
"Certainly, something needs to be done about the overcrowding that we've seen in Citywest, for example, but putting barriers in place and putting restrictions in place to the movement of people around Europe, also, resorting to the use of tents now is also something we should not see in Ireland," Mr Lannon said.
Additional reporting Sandra Hurley
