A parish priest who was asked not to attend a direct provision centre in Co Laois this morning says he will go despite the request.

Monsignor John Byrne is the parish priest of Portlaoise. He is to visit the Montague Hotel centre in Emo with junior minister Aodhain O'Riordain.

Yesterday he said the owner of the hotel had phoned him to say he would not be allowed in, because of comments he had made about the centre.

This morning Monsignor Byrne told Newstalk Breakfast it is his intention to attend, but he does not want today about whether or not he is allowed in to the centre.

And he also moved to clarify that his comments were about the direct provision system, not the hotel itself.