The Minister for Justice has said it is extremely important that extreme behaviour or criminal acts do not dictate policy on international protection.
Speaking during Dáil statements on international protection, Jim O'Callaghan referenced three recent incidents, including an allegation of serious child sexual assault made against a person who had refused international protection but was still being accommodated in a centre.
He also cited "serious acts of violence and rioting against gardaí" and the arson attack at a Drogheda IPAS centre which he referred to as attempted murder.
Four children, including a baby, were among five people rescued from the top floor of the building housing International Protection applicants on Friday night.
"I know all of us in the House will be outraged by these acts," he said.
"But I would urge people to ensure that we did not allow those extremists, those people involved in criminal activity to dictate and to mould how we are going to respond in terms of policy to the issues raised in international protection."
On processing of international applications, he said there had been increases in staffing and improvements in technology.
By June next year, applications and appeals will be decided within 12 weeks, he said.
He added that he could not shy away from the fact that first instance applications were rejected in 81% of cases.
76% of these are appealed and only 25-30% of those are granted.
"The majority of people who apply for international protection are refused international protection."
Arson attack on Drogheda 'callous' - McDonald
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described the arson attack on Drogheda as "callous, disgusting and indefensible".
Speaking in the Dáil, Ms McDonald called for those responsible to "face the full weight of the law".
"The arson attack on Drogheda, the attempt to burn people alive, endangering the lives of small children leading to babies being brought to hospital was callous, disgusting and indefensible," she said.
"Those responsible are the most vile of cowards and must face the full weight of the law.
"Yesterday my colleague Joanna Byrne shared on the floor of this House just how unsafe that particular IPAS accommodation had been prior to any arson attack.
"Those poor people, doubly failed."
Ms McDonald said people no longer trust that the migration system ensures safety for the general public or people in IPAS accommodation, describing it as a "failure of Government".
She said: "The vast, vast majority of people not alone reject racism, they see it as abhorrent, ugly and in fact un-Irish.
"They have no truck with those who seek to spread hate in our communities, and we all have a solemn duty to keep every person safe on our streets and in our communities and to create an atmosphere where people of good will can have an open, honest conversation about how we can build a system that works."
Meanwhile, Labour Party TD Alan Kelly has called on Minister O'Callaghan to launch a public awareness campaign to highlight the positive impact of migrants in Irish society.
Ireland was at a pertinent and defining moment in its history, he said.
"We're not really into extremes yet in this country, and that's a good thing," he said.
"But we're in danger of changing as a country because the extreme views I'm seeing across many different media formats, out in the open, in relation to a very small minority of people is very un-Irish.
"It's wrong, and it'll basically kill off forever 'Ireland of the welcomes' because that's what we're known for," he said.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon told the Dáil that it was incumbent on all to address the matter in a manner that is measured, as what TDs say can be misconstrued.
He disputed that appeals times are getting faster as stated by the justice minister.
In relation to comments made by Tánaiste Simon Harris, where he claimed that some people wanted to "shut down debate" on the matter, Mr Gannon said "it's far from the case the people on the left are trying to shut down the debate".
Mr Gannon said the claim that migration is too high does not stand up to scrutiny.
He said that one-in-three failed asylum seekers win their appeals and he asked what that means for the way they are being dealt with.
The justice minister's party colleague, John McGuinness, said that misinformation must be corrected by the department.
He said that "when people living here see, or are led to believe, that others get far better treatment, that causes division".
