The blockade at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Inch, Co Clare is reflecting a real frustration and anger with the Government, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said, and responsibility lies with them.
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, she said Ireland should not be in this position to begin with and that the Minister visiting after the fact showed that the "Government have learned nothing".
"They don't seem to have the basic respect or regard for communities to give information in a timely or coherent fashion, to invest the very necessary resources that have to accompany new people coming into any community.
"They set us on a course of confrontation, ugliness and upset that could have been avoided with competent planning, clear communication and goodwill," she said.
The blockade on the approach to Magowna House Hotel, near Inch remains in place as the protest enters its fifth day.
Locals living close to the former hotel have been blocking the access road to the premises, since it emerged that it had been selected as a location to house those seeking international protection.
Ms McDonald said communities cannot have a veto, but people say that there is a need for additional capacity for GPs, that schools do not have resources and that community resources have been short changed and cannot cope realistically with bigger numbers.
"I don't hear anybody commanding a veto, what I hear is real concern for resources, respect and clear communication and for Government to demonstrate some level of competence in dealing with all of this."
Ms McDonald said she does not believe that protests outside the accommodation offered to vulnerable people who have a legal right to rely on protection from the State is the way to approach things.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
"The communities in question are reflecting a very real frustration and anger with Government as this has been so badly handled.
The kind of upset that we now witness, the responsibility lies with all of Government, not just Roderic O'Gorman," she added.
Locals say the venue is unsuitable, given a lack of infrastructure and access to support services.
There had been no change in local people's resolve to protest today and they say they remain very upset and let down that there was no consultation with them prior to the arrival of the 29 asylum seekers.
Last night Minister of State at the Department of Integration Joe O'Brien appealed to locals to end the road blocks.
Mr O'Brien committed that he would return to Co Clare in four weeks to meet locals again.
No additional asylum seekers would be placed in the hotel in that time, he said.
Asked if he was disappointed that the blockades were still in place, the Taoiseach said that the blockades and protests should end.
Leo Varadkar said that during the meeting with locals and asylum seekers yesterday, Mr O'Brien gave assurances that until the hotel itself is fit for occupancy, that there will not be any extra people brought to Inch.
"I think that should be enough for the protests to end.
"Communities have a right to information, consultation and to have their views heard but no community can veto other people from living in their area, nobody should be able to prevent people from having free movement across a public road. The blockade should now end," Mr Varadkar said.
The Tánaiste Micheál Martin said there had been engagement in Co Clare in recent days and he said there is never anything wrong with engagement.
"Where issues are raised by communities, engagement takes place, and we work towards resolving it," he said.
Violet Anne Wynne, Independent TD for Clare has told RTÉ's Drivetime that protestors involved in the blockade in Inch feel they are being depicted in a bad light and in her view "they are not in the wrong", rather it was the Government's fault due to a lack of communication and consideration.
Having spoken to protestors, she said a community meeting will be held to have a full discussion around the visit of the minister and what is going to happen going forward.
