Ten members of Youth Defence were forcibly removed by gardaí from the offices of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment in Dublin this afternoon.
The ten chained themselves inside the Department building in protest at the Government's stance on stem-cell research and the Tánaiste's intention to vote in favour of EU regulations.
Ms Harney has said she will vote in Brussels for the framework because she does not want research carried out in an unregulated environment.
Up to fifteen gardai entered the building when the protesters staged a sit-down protest inside. A small but vocal group remained outside the building before continuing their protest outside the Dail.
Mr Eoghan de Faoite, who is leading Youth Defence's protest said they would escalate protests until the regualtions were overturned in Ireland and said they could not rule out a legal challenge to the regulations. The oganisation argues that such expimentation should be fobidden on the basis that embryos contain the full genetic material to make up a human being and that as such any interference with the embryo has already been outlawed under the consitiution.
Ms Harney was interrupted yesterday by a member of Youth Defence on the plinth at Leinster House when giving a television interview. The protest group also interrupted a function she attended at the Guinness Storehouse in central Dublin.
Stem cells have the capacity to develop into any human cell. As such, scientists believe they can develop mechanisms to use them to reverse degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. Some groups consider embryonic stem-cell research as a breach of an embryo's right to life.
It emerged today that the Government will press ahead with its support for the EU regulations despite growing concerns within the Fianna Fáil party. It also emerged last night that the full Cabinet had not yet discussed the proposals.