Dr Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland has said he advocates female circumcision.
Female circumcision, also termed female genital mutilation (FGM), is illegal under the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012.
It is estimated that 5,790 girls and women living in Ireland have experienced FGM and some 2,639 girls here may be at risk of being subjected to it.
Under 2012 legislation, not only is FGM prohibited in Ireland, it is also a criminal offence for a person to take a girl to another country to undergo it.