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Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has said gardaí will be prepared for any eventuality this Saturday when loyalists plan to protest in Dublin over the Union flag controversy.
Mr Shatter said that if individuals want to march on the streets of this country, in protest or to express a view, they have a democratic right and an entitlement to do so.
He said if a march takes place, he hopes the views that are being expressed by those individuals will be allowed to be expressed and that there will not be any untoward incidents.
"I know that the gardaí will undertake any preparation necessary to ensure that if there is an event in Dublin the maximum possible is done to ensure the safety of any individuals who march.
"I would certainly hope other individuals would not opportunistically use this event to create problems on our streets."
There was a fifth consecutive night of rioting in east Belfast last night when nationalists clashed with loyalists who were returning to the area after a demonstration outside Belfast City Hall.
The protest was held as Belfast City Council met for the first time since it made the controversial decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag over Belfast City Hall.
Most of the violence over the Union flag controversy has involved loyalist crowds attacking the police.
However, as dozens of loyalists were returning to east Belfast after what had been a peaceful demonstration outside the city hall, rows broke out with nationalists from the Short Strand area.
Heavy masonry and petrol bombs were fired at the police.
Some of the loyalists battered police vehicles with hatchets and officers used baton rounds or plastic bullets to disperse the crowds.
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