Ireland is at a 'crossing point' following protests at a site in Newtownmountkennedy yesterday, the Justice Minister has said.
Gardaí came under attack at a house which has been earmarked for asylum seekers in Co Wicklow.
Gardaí said the incident developed "as a result of workers, contracted to carry out lawful employment on the site, entering the site."
Uniform Gardaí were subject to verbal and physical abuse throughout the day which escalated into rocks and other missiles being thrown.
Fires were also lit and an axe was recovered. Three patrol cars were damaged and six people have been arrested.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee told Newstalk Breakfast Ireland is obligated to house applicants.
"This is a site as we know that has been identified to house and to put up tents for international protection applicants," she said.
"My colleague Minister Roderic O'Gorman, who we are all working to support, is trying to accommodate those who are arriving here, who are applying for international protection.
"We've all seen the tents, we've all seen what happening over the last number of months where we do have a housing crisis but we do also have an obligation to accommodate people".
'Peaceful protest'
Minister McEntee said such scenes like those in Newtownmountkennedy cannot continue.
"I think we all very much value the right in this country for people to be able to protest and to protest peacefully," she said.
"But people do not have a right - and this is where we are now at a crossing point - people do not have a right to prevent someone from entering their property, from people going to work, from developing a site that they own.
"This is what has happened here on this site."
'It did escalate' in Newtownmountkennedy
Minister McEntee said Gardaí "have to respond" when they come under attack when doing their job.
"Gardaí have managed hundreds of sites across the country, they have worked with people, they have worked with local communities where they have had peaceful protests whether we agree with that or not," she said.
"But it did escalate last night to a situation where you had Gardaí coming under fire, where you had Gardaí being attacked.
"You cannot have a situation where somebody cannot get on their site, where a person cannot go to work, where you cannot cross a line because others decide that they're not going to let you".
'Do we let them take hold?'
Following the incident in Newtownmountkennedy, Minister McEntee said Gardaí have to protect themselves and uphold the law.
"I think that we are at a crossroads here; do we allow this to happen?" she said.
"Do we allow people who have no alternative other than to create mayhem and create a divided society to suggest that every migrants coming in here is a criminal, to suggest there are ulterior motives?
"Do we let them take hold or do we make sure that law and order is upheld? That's exactly what we saw happen last night," she added.
Officers used force including incapacitant spray as part of an escalated response to the situation.
The Public Order Unit carrying helmets and shields also attended the scene late last night.
