The introduction of floating centres for refugees was condemned yesterday by refugee and civil rights groups, who said such accommodation would lead to the ghettoisation and isolation of already marginalised people.
They also raised concerns about the new deportation measures and are seeking clarification of any proposed amendments to the legislation.
In the Dail the Taoiseach conceded, for the first time since he returned from his official visit to Australia, that he did say he was not ruling out detention centres.
Mr Ahern agreed he did say the Australian system was food for thought and that he would look at it. Mr Ahern said as soon as he became aware that this was an issue back home his spokesman made a clear statement on March 16th.
In a statement, the Irish Refugee Council, representing non-governmental organisations, said UN minimum standards relating to the issue must be adhered to.
The IRO repeated its objections to the idea of floating centres in that they would lead to ghettoisation and isolation. The director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Mr Donncha O'Connell, said: "If the idea behind this is to avoid ghettoisation in urban centres it will simply lead to the creation of floating ghettoes in urban ports. It is a scandalous proposal which will further stigmatise a marginalised group of men, women and children."
The ICCL also expressed concern about new legislation on deportation. Mr O'Connell said there would obviously be an increase in deportations from the State and the police were to be given enhanced powers.
"Coupled with earlier proposals to restrict the availability of judicial review, the whole tenor of the Government's approach indicates a triumph of zero tolerance over fairness," he said.
The IRC said it accepted the State may deport non-nationals who were not in need of protection, but this could only happen after all avenues to establish whether a person was in need of protection had been exhausted.
It called for clarification of the proposed amendments and said it would insist that any such amendments ensured the individual was afforded all basic human rights prior to and during the deportation process.
The IRC said it welcomed the establishment of the new Reception and Integration Agency, but was keen that the human rights-based emphasis would continue. It reaffirmed its opposition to the replacement of standard welfare payments for asylum-seekers by a system of direct provision.
The Opposition has sharply criticised the immigration and asylum policies, condemning in particular the proposed housing of asylum seekers on so-called "flotels".
The Fine Gael spokesman on Justice, Mr Jim Higgins, described the Government policies on immigration and asylum-seekers, announced on Tuesday, as "hopelessly disjointed and seriously flawed".
The Labour Party spokesman on Justice, Mr Brendan Howlin, criticised the lack of co-ordination of the policy on immigration. The issuing of separate press statements by two Ministers indicated "confusion and division" surrounding the Government's policy.
Mr Howlin said it was "most unfortunate" that the proposal for "flotels" to accommodate up to 1,000 people were being pursued. The description of these vessels as "flotels" was a misnomer suggesting as it does a similarity with hotels.
Green Party TDMr John Gormley also expressed reservations about the use of "flotels", which were a "segregating mode of housing". However, he welcomed "the Government's acknowledgement that the only real solution to the present accommodation crisis is to build more permanent accommodation structures".
The Minister of State, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said the Government announcement was "progressive and sensible". She said temporary accommodation such as "flotels" were not ideal but were "on balance, preferable to asylum-seekers sleeping rough".
At the end of last year, Ms O'Donnell had described the Government's policy on immigration and asylum-seekers as a "shambles".