The imminent appointment of two Romanian police officers to liaise with gardai in deporting failed asylum-seekers has been criticised by a prominent Catholic Church group.
The Irish Commission for Justice and Peace (ICJP) said the development was "very disconcerting" in light of a recent EU report highlighting attacks by police on the Roma community.
The commission, a body within the church concerned with human rights, said it was concerned about the role of such officers and their training.
Widespread discrimination against the six million strong Roma community in several eastern and central European states including Romania was documented in a report by the European Commission within the past year.
Discrimination in areas such as housing, healthcare and the labour market may be accompanied by physical violence, sometimes leading to death, at the hands of extremist groups, the report states.
"The Roma do not receive adequate police protection against these attacks and the police themselves are sometimes responsible for acts of violence against them, such as punishment raids or beatings of those in custody.
"Often the legal system fails to ensure that the victims receive impartial treatment."
A Department of Justice spokesman stressed that the Romanian police officers, due to arrive within weeks, would play no role in the asylum application process.
He said they would liaise with the new Garda National Bureau for Immigration in relation to combating illegal traffickers and carrying out deportations.
However, Sister Joan Roddy from the ICJP's refugee project queried how the Department could ensure that there was no informal "corridor talk" between the officers and Department officials.
"It is not outside the bounds of possibility that people involved in the processing of asylum claims could check up informally with the police officers," she said.
Reports of Government plans to appoint Nigerian police officers in similar roles also raised serious questions, she added.
The Irish Refugee Council also expressed concern about the appointment of the Romanian officers. Its chief executive, Mr Peter O'Mahony, said "the presence of Romanian police officers with access to people seeking asylum flies in the face of our commitment" to the United Nations convention which defines what a refugee is.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, signed an agreement with the Romanian government earlier this month aimed at fast-tracking the deportation of Romanians who have had their applications for asylum refused.