The Minister for Justice, Mr John O'Donoghue, has denied that racism was rampant after a Chinese student was killed in what is thought to have been a racially motivated attack.
Zhao Liu Tao (30) died in a Dublin hospital on January 25th, four days after being attacked by a gang of youths in the city.
Mr O'Donoghue described the attack as "a terrible incident" but "very isolated", and said racism was not rampant in Ireland.
But he said he was "greatly concerned" about racist graffiti and racism leaflets circulating in some areas of Dublin, and that he planned to intensify a government anti-racist programme.
"The Irish people have yet to get used to people coming into the country in larger numbers," he told RTÉ radio today.
"People are arriving here to work and there has to be an understanding of different people's diversity and there has to be an appreciation of different people's cultures."
The Government’s policy on the deportation of unsuccessful asylum-seekers would continue, the Minister said.
He dismissed the idea of introducing an "amnesty" for those people already in Ireland who were waiting for their asylum application to be processed.
Mr O’Donoghue also criticised comments on asylum-seekers made by fellow Fianna Fáil member, Mr Noel O'Flynn.
The Minister said the Cork North Central TD’s comments, that asylum-seekers and refugees were spongers and freeloaders, were "inappropriate and unhelpful".
While supporting the idea that all general election candidates should sign an anti-racism pledge, Mr O'Donoghue said the election should not become a political fight about immigration.
Additional reporting AFP