It is ‘outrageous’ to blame Government policy for suspected arson attacks on hotels earmarked for asylum seekers, according to Shane Coleman.

Yesterday Gardaí confirmed they were investigating a ‘criminal damage incident’ after a fire broke out at the former Ross Lake House in Rosscahill in County Galway.

The fire erupted at the hotel, which had been selected to house 70 asylum seekers, on Saturday evening.

Fire services eventually brought the flames under control and there was no one inside the building at the time.

In a statement yesterday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was “deeply concerned about recent reports of suspected criminal damage at a number of properties around the country which have been earmarked for accommodating those seeking international protection here, including in County Galway last night”.

He said there is, “no justification for violence, arson or vandalism in our Republic – ever," adding that “Garda investigations are underway”.

Shane Coleman in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, present Shane Coleman expressed concern about comments from some local councillors in the hours after the fire broke out.

He noted that one councillor had suggested that the 'senseless policy of the Government’ had led to the fire, while another had said Government must “take the vast majority of the blame” because it was not listening to local people when it comes to housing asylum seekers.

“Now, I would have thought the people who need to take the vast majority of the blame were the people who set this fire, if that is what happened to that dwelling,” said Shane.

“They are the people who should take the blame and I think trying to deflect from what [may have been] a criminal act, an appalling act - it is an act of hate to do this - and to try and blame the Government or politicians for that, I think, is outrageous.

“I think councillors need to be really careful.”

Racism

Fellow presenter Jonathan Healy noted that this is not the first time fire has erupted at properties due to take in asylum seekers in Ireland.

He said people protesting against asylum seeker accommodation are “enabling” racism.

“We've actually had other suspected arson attacks in Moville in County Donegal, Rooski in Roscommon, Rosslare in County Wexford, where you had these stories circulating that asylum seekers were going to be brought to stay there and somehow they all went on fire,” he said.

“I have to say that while I do understand somewhat why those communities would be worried about an influx of individuals to a certain area, I'm saying to people this morning, if you are protesting at a potential asylum seeker centre, you are enabling racism.

“You are enabling the others who will come in to do this kind of activity.

“I'm not saying that it’s done locally, but what I'm saying is, by jumping on that bandwagon - by setting up your roadblocks, by putting up your placards - I cannot see how you are not enabling the racism that's resulting in bad headlines around the world and now a privately-owned building having been burned to the ground at the weekend.”

"Somewhat obscene"

Jonathan said it is “somewhat obscene” to see Ireland again making international headlines regarding asylum seekers.

“Somehow, the right-wing elements that have very little voice in this country [are] the ones who are dominating the agenda, and I'm finding it increasingly disheartening to hear stories like this,” he said.

Gardaí are continuing to investigate the fire at Ross Lake House and have sealed off the scene for a technical examination.