The Finance Minister Michael Noonan has hit out at weekend water charge protests, saying they "went too far".

He was speaking after Tánaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car for over two hours by demonstrators in west Dublin over the weekend.

Mr Noonan also hit out at sitting TDs who use "the Dail as a forum".

The Justice Minister, meanwhile, says Gardaí are putting in a “huge effort” to manage protests peacefully after video emerged from a protest outside the Mansion House in Dublin yesterday which appears to show two officers throwing a young woman against a bollard.

Frances Fitzgerald says there are “very clear” operational rules relating to Garda conduct in handling protests and that if there is any behaviour which “goes beyond” those rules, then it is a matter for the force’s Commissioner.

She says she’s heard “many reports” of a campaign of intimidation against Gardaí in recent weeks, including slashing of tyres, smashing windscreens as well as verbal abuse.

However opposition TDs say protests against water charges will intensify - even after the government introduces its new system this week.

Socialist TD Joe Higgins says the weekend protest was legitimate and peaceful.

Meanwhile, the government is set to unveil its changes to Irish Water on Wednesday with the cost per household set to come in below €200.

However, Joe Higgins says that will not stop the protests:

Dublin South-West TD Paul Murphy has also commented on the incident, stating that Ms Burton is "hamming it up" over Saturday's water charge protest in Tallaght.

She was trapped in her car for more than two hours by demonstrators and was hit by a water balloon and eggs that were pelted at her car as protestors banged on the vehicle.

Garda reinforcement - including the garda helicopter - were called in.

The protest was organised by Anti-Austerity TD Paul Murphy.

He told the Ray D'arcy show on Today FM this morning that Ms Burton was hamming it up:

Liz Waters is CEO of An Cosan Education Centre in Jobstown and was there when the protests started. She spoke to Newstalk Lunchtime:

Meanwhile, Health Minister Leo Varadkar has also spoken out about the protests over the weekend, stating they were not peaceful protests:

 The Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald says the government will take whatever precautions are necessary to ensure Ministers can get on with their job.

She said it was not appropriate that the Tanaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car in Tallaght in Dublin for two and a half hours. 

Pascal Donohue also spoke out about the protests: 

And Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said the events of the weekend were undemocratic: