A major criminal investigation is under way into a fire at a disused hotel in Co Galway which was due to house 70 male international protection applicants.
Protesters had gathered to form a blockade at the entrance of the Ross Lake Hotel in Rosscahill, Co Galway at the weekend in opposition to Government plans to house the asylum seekers on the premises from Thursday.
A fire broke out at the hotel on Saturday night and gardaí are conducting an investigation into what they have described as a criminal damage incident.
Speaking at a meeting of the Policing Authority this afternoon, Commissioner Drew Harris said that gardaí had received no official notification about the plan to accommodate asylum seekers at a disused hotel in Galway which was subsequently burned out.
He said they received their information about the arrival of asylum seekers from local sources and councillors.
Mr Harris also said it was important that gardaí were informed of these developments because of their duty to protect life and property.
He described the attack as shocking.
Commissioner Harris also said there was no evidence that attacks on accommodation for asylum seekers was coordinated by what he called "an invisible guiding hand", adding that it was easy to blame an ill-defined group.
He said there were 585 protests in Dublin this year, almost half of which, 227, related to anti-immigration.
He also said 52 people had been charged in relation to offences surrounding these protests.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste has dismissed as "absolutely unacceptable" comments made by two Fianna Fáil councillors who criticised the Government's policy on migration.
