The Auschwitz Memorial Centre has said it found it "painful" after a sign appeared at an Intreo centre in Cork, similar to that used by German forces at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp during World War II.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has confirmed the incident, saying an "extremely offensive" sign had been placed outside the building.

In a statement, it said the sign was removed immediately, and that the matter has been reported to gardaí.

The sign mocked the JobPath scheme, which Intreo runs for unemployed people throughout the country on behalf of the Department of Employment and Social Protection.

.@welfare_ie "Arbeit macht frei" was a false, cynical illusion the SS gave to prisoners of the #Auschwitz camp. Those words became one of the icons of human hatred hate. It's painful to see this symbol 'interpreted' over '#Cork Employment Services Office'. Please remove it. pic.twitter.com/MaXZUCtseT — Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) October 17, 2019

It contained the words "JobPath Macht Frei", adapted from the phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei", meaning "Work sets you free", which was placed above the main gates of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau by German forces during the war.

The Irish-Polish Society had highlighted the issue through social media, saying that people could not be "indifferent to inhuman behavior".

The Society said that the centre manager was asked by a number of men to take action, and the sign was removed around 20 minutes later.