The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, expressed his "horror and revulsion at the savage and senseless attack" on Mr David Richardson at Pearse Street, Dublin, at the weekend.
Mr O'Donoghue said he regarded such racist attacks with the "utmost seriousness", and he assured the Dail that he would continue to take steps to "ensure the evils of racism are not allowed to take root in this State."
Neither he nor the Government underestimated the threat it posed to Irish society, he told Mr Joe Higgins (SP, Dublin West), who raised the issue. "Racism is unworthy of our country and our people."
He added: "It is a violation of our most basic democratic values. I will continue to use every possible means to protect ethnic minorities, and the general public, from this threat." He wanted to send this message out "loud and clear to the very small minority in our midst who seek to besmirch all our names with their unacceptable and barbarous behaviour".
He said initiatives had already been taken by the Garda authorities and they were "determined to learn from the experience of other countries in policing a changing society."
