White supremacist graffiti scrawled along road works on a major road in County Dublin has been removed by the National Roads Authority.

The large lettered graffiti written on the construction hoardings included statements such as “Feel like a stranger in your own country?” and “2050 = The Irish a minority in their ow country (sic).”

Disturbingly, these comments were also accompanied by a drawing of St. Brigid’s cross, which TheJournal.ie reports the Catholic saint’s cross is “used by white supremacist groups across the country.”

The graffiti appeared on a main primary road, the N7, at Newlands Cross, in the southwest of Dublin. The National Roads Authority said the writing would be removed by Thursday morning.

The National Roads Authority's head of communications, Sean O’Neill, told TheJournal.ie they were “shocked” by the graffiti and added that the contractors, BAM, were dealing with it.

The St. Brigid's cross was seen beside similar messages outside the Immigrant Council of Ireland offices and the Bank of Ireland on College Green in Dublin earlier in 2014. The Celtic cross, also known as “Odin’s cross”, has long been used as a symbol by racist groups. It is most commonly used by neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups.

Earlier this week the Immigrant Council of Ireland asked that Ireland follow in Northern Ireland’s footsteps and establish a hotline for racist abuse.

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, believes that such a helpline is needed. In a statement she said, “We have long believed that racism in our communities is under-reported with victims frightened that if they come forward they will not be taken seriously or that they will be perceived as trouble-makers.”