People in Rosslare, Co Wexford, have condemned a suspected arson attack on machinery being used in the renovation of a former hotel which the Government plans to use as an international protection centre.
Gardaí have confirmed they are investigating a report of an incident of criminal damage which was alleged to have happened at 4am yesterday.
A teleporter forklift truck outside the former Great Southern Hotel was set on fire in a suspected petrol bomb attack.
Gardaí said there were no injuries as a result of the incident and no arrests have been made, but investigations are continuing.
The hotel building is being renovated for use as an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre, with up to 170 asylum seekers due to be placed there in the coming weeks, and as many as 400 eventually.
However a decision on the planning status of the property had been referred by Wexford County Council to An Bord Pleanála.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has said that it will not enter into a contract for use of the building until the planning issue is resolved.
Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman has also given an undertaking to update public representatives in the Rosslare area of any developments regarding the opening of the property as an IPAS centre.
Local people had been protesting in the area in recent weeks and held a major march at Rosslare Europort two weeks ago, with vigils being conducted by smaller groups in the meantime.
In a statement, the Rosslare Harbour Concerned Residents group said they were "shocked" to learn of the incident involving machinery on fire at the hotel site.
Gardaí have assured them, they said, that the incident had nothing to do with their protest.
"We are disappointed that this has happened at a time when people are standing out in the coldest of conditions protesting peacefully and respectfully; unified, dignified and justified," the committee said.
Bernie Mullen, who is community liaison officer with Rosslare Harbour Concerned Residents, told RTÉ's News at One that she was concerned the protest could be exploited by outside far-right elements.
She said the group had "no time and place" for right-wing groups and that they have been vigilantly watching for them.
Ms Mullen added: "We don't want those people here, that’s not what this is about."
On why protest is taking place, she said: "We have witnessed across the country that the Department have not engaged or consulted with centres and the people being moved in, there's a great fear and mistrust with people and the minister.
"We had no engagement from the community engagement team that was promised to us, this came about without any knowledge to the community at all."
