Police in the Republic of Ireland are investigating what they described as a "criminal damage incident by fire" that occurred Saturday night at a former hotel earmarked to house asylum-seekers in the village of Roscahill in western County Galway.

Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar on Sunday said he was "deeply concerned" about the incident.

Police said no one was in the facility when the blaze occurred. Ireland's RTE television broadcast video footage of flames partially destroying the Ross Lake House Hotel on Sunday.

The fire followed a rally at the site, with those present opposing government plans to house 70 asylum-seekers in the village.

In a statement, Prime Minister Varadkar said, "I am deeply concerned about recent reports of suspected criminal damage at a number of properties around the country, which have been earmarked for accommodating those seeking international protection here, including in County Galway last night."

Varadkar went on to say, "There is no justification for violence, arson or vandalism in our Republic. Ever."

Housing crisis forces asylum-seekers to sleep in tents

Ireland, which is experiencing a housing crisis, has seen opposition to government policies designed to house a record number of foreign asylum-seekers of late, with largely peaceful protests being staged across the country in recent weeks.

The problem has become so acute that the agency responsible for housing asylum-seekers resorted to handing out tents to new arrivals last week.

Though Varadkar has sought to assure citizens that all of those seeking asylum in Ireland are thoroughly vetted and registered, the situation has remained tense.

Last month, the capital Dublin saw a night of massive rioting when far-right agitators torched and looted the city, destroying businesses and public property after the stabbing injury of three children outside an elementary school by a man Irish media had said was born in Algeria — although police did not confirm.

In an effort to convey the scope of the situation, Varadkar said, "Like much of the world, we are dealing with a major step-change in the numbers [of asylum-seekers] arriving here seeking protection. This is driven by war, poverty, climate change and human rights abuses in their home countries."

He added that the recent outbreak in violence across Ireland was to be blamed on "a very small minority," noting that, "The response from many communities has been incredible. We've seen people open their homes, schools, clubs and communities to help those most in need."

js/ab (AFP, Reuters)