Dublin City Council should now consider the possibility of moving the repeatedly vandalised bust of singer Luke Kelly, according to the Justice Minister.
The art installation was targeted for the fifth time last night, with red paint sprayed on his face and the base of the statue.
It's currently located in the Guild Street / Sheriff Street area, near where the musician was born.
The statue has been cleaned this morning following yesterday's incident.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said the latest defacement is bad news to start the bank holiday weekend.
He said: "It's not funny, it's not amusing: this is a clear act of vandalism.
"It's a criminal act, and I would hope in the first instance that anybody in the area who knows anything about this act of vandalism contact the gardaí.
"It's the fifth time in 18 months - I think now consideration has to be given to further options."
Minister Flanagan said it's not his call what happens with the statue.
He explained: "The monument was deliberately placed near the former school of Luke Kelly, and it's in the Luke Kelly Park... it's a very fine part of Dublin, an an historic part of north Dublin inner city.
"I think it would be a pity if it had to be moved, [but] we can't continue to have a situation where the monument is continuously subjected to this type of vandalism. I think all options should now be considered."
