Sixty International Protection applicants were moved to a HSE-owned site at River Lodge, also known locally as Trudder House, in Newtownmountkennedy in Co Wicklow, yesterday.
Initial reports some weeks ago indicated that up to 160 people could be accommodated in tented accommodation on the Newtownmountkennedy site, located about two kms from the village itself.
Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman said said the site in Newtownmountkennedy, along with Crooksling in Co Dublin, are two State-owned sties provided by the HSE.
He told RTÉ's News at One programme that the Department would be engaging with the HSE and other State agencies to secure additional sites.
He said this is the most immediate and practical way "that we can avoid situations where people are sleeping rough, that we can bring on more sites like these... where we can rapidly provide that basic level of accommodation."
The Department said today it does not comment on moves to individual properties, for security reasons.
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Protests were held outside the site in Co Wicklow in recent weeks, since it emerged the Government planned to use it for asylum-seekers, which was also damaged by fire last month.
Gardaí came under attack and the Public Order Unit was deployed during one of the protests last week.
There were chaotic scenes last Thursday when gardaí and protesters clashed on the property boundaries, leading to a number of arrests.
Four people appeared in court in relation to the events of last Thursday.
The incidents happened when some protesters tried to stop workmen from entering the site.
Gardaí said that they had to use force to keep the peace after they came under attack.
Protesters said gardaí had used heavy-handed tactics while dealing with the incident.
A number of garda cars were damaged during the incident.
