An Garda Síochána has said it was present at an eviction in Dublin's north inner-city on Wednesday following a 999 call.
It comes after criticism from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), which claims Gardaí seem to have played a 'supportive role' when a security firm removed tenants.
Video footage has emerged which showed officers inside a house during an eviction.
Nine people living at the house in Phibsboro spent the night in emergency accommodation, and have since regained access to the house.
Gardaí say a number of units attended the address following a 999 emergency call at around 11.00am on Wednesday.
It adds that the number and type of units attending was "based on the contents of the call and the majority were quickly stood down."
A number of Garda personnel remained at the scene, with the aim of preventing breaches of the peace and to ensure the safety of the people involved.
An Garda Síochána also says it does not comment on video footage published online, "the context and reliability of which cannot be determined."
The ICCL says it has written to the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, to request information about the presence of Gardaí and the public order unit at the event.
ICCL has also asked the commissioner for an update on guidelines on Garda attendance at private evictions, long called for by GSOC.
It adds: "[An Garda Síochána] should not be playing a supportive role in private evictions unless it is a necessary and proportionate response to actual or threatened criminal behaviour."
Anthony Flynn from Inner City Helping Homeless claims the eviction was carried out illegally.
"What we saw last night was a private security firm enter a premises in Dublin 7, and that security firm evicted nine people from their home last night.
"It's of our opinion that that eviction was illegal and after taking advice from our legal team today, we have taken repossession".
"The toilets were smashed, electricity was switched off, there was doors that were pulled off - so there's a call our for carpenters, for plumbers, for electricians - for anybody that can basically get the property back into some sort of disrepair.
"Everybody seems to have scarpered and left the volunteers here now to try and put the property back together, and get those that have been living on-site here for a number of years back into their home".
