Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said it is important that “no one area is overburdened” in accommodating asylum seekers.
There are currently more than 500 asylum seekers who are not in receipt of State-provided shelter.
The Green Party leader said it was accurate to say that some areas have been asked to take in more international protection applicants than others.
Mr Ryan said “no one can disagree” that certain areas have a far higher percentage of asylum seekers.
He said: “But shutting the doors, saying ‘Ireland is full’ – that is not a viable, correct or appropriate response and option.”
Mr Ryan was speaking after 14 migrants were discovered inside a refrigerated container at Rosslare Europort in Co Wexford.
He said the State has obligations under international law to provide refuge to asylum seekers where appropriate.
His Green Party colleague Roderic O’Gorman holds the integration portfolio and Mr Ryan said the State needs to own “far larger” accommodation centres, rather than relying on the private sector to provide facilities.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, he added: “We need to manage and look medium to long term in how we do this in a way that is co-ordinated and safe, respects local communities.
“Yes, it will evolve and part of that is making sure that no one area has an overconcentration of the number of centres.”
Mr Ryan said the Department of Integration did not give in to the demands of protesters when it changed its plans for a hotel initially earmarked to accommodate 50 male asylum seekers.
Earlier this week, the department announced that it intends to accommodate families including children at the site instead.
It is intended that up to 50 people in need of shelter will be accommodated at JJ Gannon’s Hotel in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
A briefing document on the initial plans to house male asylum seekers was issued to local TDs, senators and councillors last Thursday.
On Friday, a protest against the plan formed outside the hotel and continued through to Monday until the department changed its decision on who would be accommodated there.
Asked why the department made the decision, he said: “We have families we need to house. This is literally, week by week, a real challenge.”
Mr Ryan said there is a shortage of accommodation, adding Mr O’Gorman had told him there was an immediate challenge to house families.
It was put to Mr Ryan that there was already a situation that families needed to be housed when the department initially said 50 men would be accommodated in the Ballinrobe hotel and that it had now given in to the demands of the protesters.
He replied: “That’s the wrong conclusion, I’m absolutely convinced of that.”
Mr Ryan said a particular immediate demand to house families in the hotel arose.
There have been several incidents of arson attacks across the country at locations believed to be selected for use by refugees.
Mr Ryan said he would like to see the “full rigours of the laws applied” in these cases, and for blockades of such centres which he described as “not legal”.
