Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Ireland Funds gala dinner in Washington DC last night was not significantly disrupted by the Burke family's protest at the event.
However, Mr Martin said he thought it was "regrettable" that the incident happened.
"People have a right to protest in a proper way and that is not a proper way; to attempt to disrupt an event that was to honour people who have been of such service to Ireland in the US and people of the Irish-American diaspora who really are not involved in anything to do with this issue," he said.
Mr Martin added that the dinner was a "night of celebration and recognition for those honourees, but that said, I don't think it had that impact, but, we live in a democracy".
Members of the Burke family were ejected from the gala dinner after they interrupted the event to protest the jailing of teacher Enoch Burke for contempt of court.
The black tie event was attended by Mr Martin and several members of the United States Congress.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and British Ambassador Peter Mandelson were also present.
Mr Burke has been imprisoned a number of times for failing to obey an injunction granted last year that ordered him to stay away from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath.
He was sacked from the school in January 2023. However, he has appealed against that dismissal and remains on full pay pending the hearing of that appeal.
The High Court ordered his release from Mountjoy in December 2024.
Watch: Members of the Burke family are removed from the Ireland Funds event
Mr Burke's mother Martina, his sister Ammi and brother Isaac had gained entry to the National Building Museum in central Washington DC towards the end of the formal proceedings, after speeches by the Taoiseach and two members of the House of Representatives.
They started shouting about Mr Burke's detention during an acceptance speech of an award from the Ireland Fund to Dan Quinn, the head coach of the Washington Commanders NFL team.
The Burke family were surrounded by security staff and some members of the Department of Homeland Security Police.
As they were pulled away from the floor of the venue, a security guard, Martina Burke and Isaac Burke fell on the floor.
Isaac Burke was picked up by another security guard and was ejected from the building. His mother, Martina Burke, lost one of her shoes during the incident. She and Ammi Burke were also swiftly ejected from the building by security staff.
They were told to stay on the public footpath a short distance from the building, where they addressed members of the media, until they discovered that all the reporters present were working for Irish media outlets.
They then stopped and walked away.
Earlier, the Burke family - which at that stage included Enoch Burke's father Sean Burke - staged a protest outside the venue as guests arrived.
They were directed by a security guard to move outside the private property of the National Building Museum and stand on the public footpath to continue their protest.
The Ireland Funds Gala is a fundraising dinner, which this year raised just over $1 million for the fund, the fourth time in a row it has raised this amount.
The fund honoured Democratic Party Congressman Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, Republican Congressman David Joyce of Ohio, and Mr Quinn, who guided the team to its best season in 33 years in his first year in charge.
The Commanders reached the NFC Championship game - the "semi-final" of the NFL - and were one game away from a Super Bowl appearance, only to lose to fellow NFC East team the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the Super Bowl.
Mr Quinn was later voted "coach of the year" in a poll of NFL players.
During the interruptions by the Burkes, Coach Quinn dismissed the incident with a reference to the bitter rivalry in the NFC East conference, telling the audience "that's awesome - its like being at an Eagles game".
The remark drew applause and cheers from the audience, which drowned out the protest.
The gala event finished soon after the interruption.
At his last appearance at the Ireland Funds Washington Gala in 2022, Mr Martin was about to go on stage to accept an award and address the room when he was notified that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Martin was unable to meet then President Joe Biden in the Oval Office the next day, and had to remain in quarantine for a week at the residence of the Irish Ambassador.
On Wednesday, the Taoiseach was able to get to the White House for a meeting with US President Donald Trump.
The four members of the Burke family held a silent protest outside the security perimeter of the White House complex, on the junction of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
They held placards saying "St Patrick's Day - no religious freedom in Ireland" and others protesting Enoch Burke's jailing for contempt of court.
They declined to speak to members of the Irish media when approached.
The family had flown to Washington DC on Tuesday.
