A man is due in court charged by Gardaí investigating a suspected arson attack at a Dublin building targeted by anti-immigrant protesters last year.

The fire broke out at a vacant building on the Shanganagh Road in Ballybrack, Dublin on Monday, August 14th.

At the time, Gardaí said they were investigating a ‘suspected criminal damage by fire incident’.

The building had already been vandalised during anti-immigrant protests the previous month.

The protests broke out after rumours spread online that it was to be used to house asylum seekers.

Local TD and junior minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill spoke out against the vandalism at the time – warning that “vandalism of an empty building in an effort to frighten and intimidate local residents is not the way forward”.

In a letter to constituents, she said the building had been considered for asylum seeker accommodation; however, it was not being progressed through the refurbishment programme.

This morning, Gardaí investigating the fire said they had arrested a man in his 20s.

He is due to appear before Dún Laoghaire District Court this morning.