Dublin North Central deputy Finian McGrath said he was "very disappointed" with the minister's stance on the issue and would be "lobbying for it to be changed".

"I'll be making my views known in the Dail and in the media, " he added, saying the issue was "still up for grabs".

McGrath said he would be "very, very concerned with people in a pluralist society who take offence at people's symbols of religion or faith."

While he acknowledged Ireland was increasingly secular, it was not there yet.

The people leading the charge on this issue had "a brass neck", he added, given the involvement of both the Catholic church and the Church of Ireland in schools here and the number of politicians or gardai wearing pioneer pins or ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday.

Calling for a broad debate on the issue and for everybody to "calm down", McGrath said if An Garda Siochana was trying to encourage minority religions in the force, then "we've got to be a little open and flexible and not be too touchy". Otherwise, he warned, quality people would be lost from the public service.

The independent deputy was also "very annoyed" at the suggestion Sikhs should 'adapt to our culture' as many of their children were born and bred in Ireland.

"You see them wearing Dublin jerseys and turbans, " he said.