It is "entirely unacceptable" for a hotel in Inch, Co Clare that is housing asylum seekers to be blockaded, Minister for Intergration Roderic O'Gorman has said, adding that it "has to be used".
It comes as people in Co Clare continue to block the access road to the Magowna House Hotel outside Ennis, which is being used to house 29 asylum seekers.
Earlier Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that while people's concerns about the housing of refugees should be listened to, the Government would stand up to those with racist and extreme views.
Speaking in Reykjavik on the second day of a Council of Europe Summit, he said that consultation with communities does not give them a veto on who lives there.
"We should not dismiss concerns that people have about their locality, people do want to know what is happening and they want certain assurances and we have a responsibility to do that, but that does not mean that anyone can say that certain types of people cannot live in their area," Mr Varadkar said.
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He added that it has to be acknowledged that there are people with extreme racist views who must be stood up to.
"When it comes to most people, with information, with communications with assurance, I think you can get them board," he said.
Clare politicians met Minister O'Gorman this morning to outline local concerns about the unsuitability of the hotel to house asylum seekers.
Local people want the hotel, which is around 8km from Ennis, to be closed to asylum seekers and say this is the only resolution satisfactory to them.
Minister O'Gorman gave no commitment on that, saying the closure of the premises to men seeking international protection is not an option.
In a statement to RTÉ tonight, the local community vowed to continue its "peaceful protest".
"Having read the ministers reply to our elected representatives today, we feel disappointed and let down with his response," the statement said.
"Our position as a community is that this location is totally unsuitable for this purpose.
"We invite Minister O'Gorman to come down in person to view the location and accommadation.
"Our peaceful protest will continue."
The protests continued with traffic cones and no entry signs erected on the rural road leading up to the hotel.
Local people's attitudes appear to be hardening. They say a lot of mistrust has built up over conflicting information they have been given over the numbers being housed there, and that this is not helping at all towards any resolution.
The 29 people were brought by bus to Ennis this morning to access local Department of Social Protection services.
On Monday evening, 33 asylum seekers were brought by bus to the hotel.
After their arrival, local people blocked both ends of the hotel road with tractors and silage bales.
The former hotel and restaurant in Inch has been closed since 2019.
Locals said there had been no consultation with them and that the property and its location was unsuitable to house asylum seekers.
Last year it was deemed unsuitable for asylum seeker accommodation because of fire and sewage issues.
Talks also took place last night for several hours between the local community, Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley and the operator of the hotel.
While some progress was reported, further discussions deemed necessary.
Senator Dooley said there had been good engagement and goodwill shown on all sides.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime this evening, Fine Gael Senator from Clare Martin Conway said he believes the blockade should be "stepped down".
Senator Conway said the accommodation was not "ideal" or "suitable" but that "it's certainly better than people having to live in tents or worse still, people living in the streets - that is what's happening in Dublin city and in other parts of Co Clare".
He said he understands a 12-month contract was signed for Magowna so "we can take it that it is the government's intention to use the facility for 12 months - but the government want to do this with the support of the people of Inch" who he said were "decent people".
Ennis Councillor and Deputy Mayor Mary Howard said that she believes it will be very difficult to find a resolution to end the protests, adding that the lack of prior communication about the move has been appalling.
In addition, she said that people are hearing conflicting reports about the numbers being accommodated at the hotel, which Ms Howard said is adding to local concerns.
She added that people are "genuinely fearful" about a large group of men who are arriving into a quiet rural area with no infrastructure to support them.
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Ms Howard believes the accommodation is unsuitable, is cramped and located too far from the nearest shop or town.
She said Co Clare is one of the most multi-cultural counties in the country and has welcomed different nationalities for many decades, with people now integrated into the community and children attending schools all over Clare.
Separately, Minister for Justice Simon Harris and Mr O'Gorman will meet Garda Commissioner Drew Harris tomorrow.
The meeting is expected to focus on the attack on a makeshift asylum seeker camp in Dublin city centre last Friday, and how to protect the nearly 500 people seeking international protection who have not been provided with accommodation by the State.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan visited the hotel this evening, where he spoke to local people and the men living in the hotel.
He said he was informed some of the occupants are Christian and he wanted to visit and talk with them in a gesture of pastoral support and to invite them to worship in the local Inch church.
Bishop Monahan also spoke to local people outside the hotel who he said have legitimate and genuine concerns.
He hopes they are listened to and that their concerns can be addressed so that a resolution can be found.
The Bishop offered any support he can so that a reasonable resolution can be found.
