The Junior Sports Minister insists people are entitled to protest whatever way they choose and you cannot stop people smuggling tennis balls into stadiums.
Brendan Griffin was responding to last night's demonstration at the Ireland match at the Aviva Stadium where fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch.
It was in protest of John Delaney's continued involvement with the FAI in light of recent revelations.
Minister Griffin says people are entitled to protest once it is not impacting on other people.
"Once it's peaceful and it's not violent and once it's not impacting on other people, I don't think you can prevent people from smuggling tennis balls into a stadium," said Minister Griffin.
"You know, you can conceal tennis balls pretty handily.
"People are entitled, if they want to, to protest like that but I didn't see a huge amount of tennis balls. There was quite a large attendance there last night."
