Micheál Martin said yesterday "outrageous" false stories being spread about refugees moving into communities are creating unease.
The Tanaiste said he was not speaking about Co Clare specifically, where a protest is being held outside a hotel after more than 30 asylum seekers arrived by bus on Monday night.
Some locals have raised concerns about the quality of the accommodation and the lack of services, and have blocked the road to stop more buses from arriving at Magowna House.
READ MORE - Minister insists refugees are staying in Clare and won't be moved despite protests
They also raised concerns about a lack of prior consultation.
The Government has said concerns need to be listened to but stressed that no one can veto the arrival of people into a community and insisted the hotel will still be used as accommodation.
Mr Martin said he does not underestimate the pressures on communities but added "this is not peacetime", referencing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
He acknowledged the Government needed to improve communications and consultation and said there was "never anything wrong" with engagement, referring to minister of state Joe O’Brien’s meeting with locals on Thursday.
Mr Martin said: "I think we’re always ready to improve communications and consultation. But there’s another side to the story as well. There has been, as I say, close to 100,000 people now housed by the State and in this country. That also reflects the welcome that many have received and the degree to which many communities across the country have not been engaged in blockades and so on, rather the opposite. They’ve been working to help people to settle down and acclimatise and integrate. And those environments are ones of warmth and of welcome. But of course, they don’t get the headlines and rarely will get the headlines."
He said that Ireland needed to "rebut" and "refute" rumours about migrants that are without foundation.
Mr Martin added: "More generally, we are aware of false stories being spread about people who come into the country that have no foundation. And some of them are outrageous in terms of what’s been asserted and we just have to stand up against that."
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader, Mary Lou McDonald blamed the Government for the Inch protest and said locals should have been told about the arrival of the asylum seekers well in advance.
Ms McDonald added: "They don’t seem to have the basic respect or regard for communities to give information in a timely and coherent fashion."
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