Gareth Scahill was speaking after a number of residents in the area reported receiving leaflets from an unknown source.

Up to 60 international protection applicants are set to be housed in the former Stella Maris nursing home in Baylough.

It follows speculation 52 asylum-seekers or refugees would be accommodated in 13 apartments in the town.

Local residents held protests in the village last November saying existing services would be stretched to the limit.

According to the Department of Integration, the B&B will host 24 people consisting of families seeking International Protection.

There has been an increasing number of fires started at buildings intended for or rumoured to be for asylum seeker accommodation, the most recent in Brittas in Dublin last weekend.

Locals claim there was no engagement from the Government regarding moving international protection applicants into the hotel.

The figures released by IPAS show that there is now over 26,000 asylum seekers currently being housed in Ireland.