Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has condemned recent protests against LGBTQ+ content in libraries in Cork and Kerry.
Ms Humphreys says while people have a right to protest, library staff cannot be subjected to intimidation.
She says her department is in discussions with the Departments of both Justice and Local Government following disruption at libraries in Cork and Kerry.
Protestors entered the library in Tralee during a Pride Week event for Children and began shouting their opposition before gardaí arrived.
In March, a copy of Juno Dawson's 'This Book is Gay' was ripped in half by a protester in Cork's central library.
The recent protests have also been condemned by Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who said the era of banning books in Ireland is behind us
Ms Humphreys is calling for those responsible to stop intimidating staff and library users.
"I know that An Garda Síochána monitor these situations very very closely. What I would say to the protestors, everybody has the right to protest, but to go into a library and intimidate staff, which is obviously causing stress to library useres at the time, that should not be happening."
