Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has promised further engagement with locals in Clare who are blockading holiday homes being used to house asylum seekers. 

Earlier in the week, 34 international protection applicants arrived in Inch where the State had arranged accommodation for them. 

Some locals were furious when they heard about the new arrivals and have blockaded the road to the holiday homes with tractors and a silage bale. 

Speaking to Newstalk, they denied they were anti-immigrant and said they were concerned about the suitability of the accommodation and the lack of communication from the Government. 

An Taoiseach said officials will be in touch with those involved in the blockade. 

“The objective is to engage with the local community,” he said. 

“To answer their questions, to give them reasonable assurances and we hope at the end of that that would allow the blockade to be lifted and for us to provide accommodation for those in need.”   

Mr Varadkar said it was important not “to dismiss concerns that local communities have” but added people’s right to housing trumped locals' worries. 

“Sometimes local communities have genuine concerns,” he said. 

“That’s why we’ll make sure there’s information and there’s communication but also making it very clear that nobody has the right to veto other people’s coming into your community - no matter who they are.” 

Centres in Dublin

Three new centres for international protection applicants are due to open in Dublin in the coming weeks and Mr Varadkar hopes there will be a more positive reaction. 

“I was really encouraged by the cross party response from all four TDs in Dún Laoghaire, all saying that they understand that this is a crisis and in a crisis never let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said. 

“All four TDs are welcoming - or at least accepting - of the need to find accommodation for people urgently because we can’t have people on the streets.” 

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, over 70,000 Ukrainians have moved to Ireland seeking refuge.

Main image: Leo Varadkar and the protestors.