Several people have been arrested following clashes with gardaí at a site earmarked to accommodate international protection applicants in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow.
The Garda Public Order Unit has been deployed to the scene, while video footage posted on social media shows a large Garda presence and a number of protesters grappling with members of the force. Other protesters chanted “shame on you” towards gardaí.
The footage further shows wood and other materials being burned at the entrance to the site, which is known as Trudder House or River Lodge.
A spokesperson for the Garda said: “Gardaí are currently attending a public order incident in Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. “As this is an ongoing incident no further information is available.”
The incident at the property at the edge of Newtownmountkennedy is the latest in a series of fires at locations earmarked for housing refugees.
Gardaí are already investigating a case of suspected arson at the same location in recent weeks.
The previous fire at Trudder House occurred in the early hours of April 14th when fire services attended the scene and extinguished the blaze.
The Department of Integration has been considering locating 20 eight-person tents at the former HSE facility to house people seeking to live here under the international protection process. There had been local protests against the proposal for the facility.
