The People Before Profit Alliance has rejected comments that heckling of trade union leaders at a pre-budget rally in Dublin yesterday represented "fascist activity".

SIPTU President Jack O'Connor said attempts by a small minority of protestors to prevent an ICTU speaker from addressing the crowd revealed a "deeply sinister trend".

ICTU President Eugene McLone went on to call for a general strike, although other trade union leaders later distanced themselves from his remarks and said it was a "solo run".

People Before Profit have urged Jack O'Connor to withdraw his insulting remarks and his attempts to link any heckling to Sinn Féin and the United Left Alliance.

Mr O'Connor has insisted that he just said what he saw.