The Minister for Justice has said people gathering outside refugee accommodation centres are engaging in "intimidation".
Simon Harris said that we should be careful about calling these gatherings protests because "anyone who turns up outside a building that is providing temporary shelter to people, including women and children and start saying things shouting to get them out, that's not a protest".
Speaking in Dublin, he said there are people travelling around the country organising these gatherings and he said it is important that the viewpoints of communities are not "hijacked".
"As Minister for Justice one of my primary responsibilities is to ensure the safety of all individuals in this country, and that in case of safety, people have come here seeking refuge under the international protection agreements."
He said while gardaí cannot comment publicly on these matters he is aware that they take the issue "very seriously".
Minister Harris called for balanced commentary on the matter.
"We have seen more than 70,000 people from Ukraine come to this country and we have seen communities embrace and support them," he said. "And we have seen gatherings protests, whichever you wish to call it, in solidarity."
He admitted that there are challenges saying that "governments are working in real time and in imperfect situations to come up with solutions. But I believe the overriding values of this country are born of wanting to support and respect people."
"When we heard this week young children talking about how this so-called protest makes them feel, that concerns me and I share the Taoiseach's view that it is disturbing."
