Gardaí need more information about asylum seekers from the Government, the Policing Authority has said. 

It comes after a hotel in Galway earmarked for asylum seekers was burnt to the ground over the weekend, following protests.

The Garda Commissioner has said the force was not officially notified of the Department of Integration's plans to use the Ross Lake House hotel in Rosscahill.

Policing Authority Chair Bob Collins said Gardaí need to be better informed so they can prepare for any trouble. 

“Over the last six, seven months, the authority has raised on a number of occasions the quality of the information that’s coming to the commissioner in relationship to the deployment and location of international protection applicants,” he said. 

“It is really striking that the situation appeared to have been improving but certainly is unsatisfactory at the moment.” 

Investigation

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said an investigation into the burning of the hotel is focusing on a number of individuals. 

"I just think it's very easy to blame a nebulous, ill-defined set of people - whereas regrettably a prejudice does exist at a local level," he said.

"We have seen from the detections that we have made individuals, local individuals, misguided by misinformation are engaged in regrettably criminal activity around damage to property.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has denounced the fire and said there is “no justification for violence, arson or vandalism in our Republic – ever."

Main image: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visiting Drogheda Garda Station. Photograph: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie