Asylum seekers in Ireland are “traumatised” by the Government’s failure to house them, the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission has said. 

Yesterday, the High Court ruled that the Government was in breach of its legal obligations by leaving asylum seekers “without accommodation or the means to access accommodation.”

The case was brought by the IHREC following the Government’s announcement in December that it could no longer guarantee accommodation for newly arrived asylum seekers.  

IHREC Head of Legal Michael O’Neill described the litigation as “unprecedented” but the organisation decided to act when “it became really clear to us that there was a major crisis emerging.” 

“So, this is really about the commitment of the State to provide very basic needs to asylum seekers,” he told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“Which it has signed up to - both nationally and in international and European law - and its failure to [comply].

“So, we really welcome yesterday’s judgement, it’s a really important ruling by the High Court that the State is in breach of the most fundamental right of an individual - their right to human dignity.” 

Asylum seekers sleeping in tents outside Dublin’s International Protection Office. Image: Rory Walsh/Newstalk

Mr O’Neill said the result of the policy is that some asylum seekers are living in tents, while others “hiding in parks because they’re so traumatised”. 

“It should not be a situation where people are having to make a choice between food and seeking accommodation and seeking basic healthcare - which they’re having to pay for,” he said. 

“It’s very clear from yesterday that the current payment to an asylum seeker - if they are not housed - of €131 per week plus a tent is not sufficient.” 

Yesterday on The Hard Shoulder, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said there had been “an astronomical increase in people coming to the country and seeking International Protection.” 

She also noted the High Court noted the Government has put in a “huge amount of effort” into providing accommodation to asylum seekers in recent years. 

Mr O’Neill said the IHREC ‘acknowledges the challenge’ the Government faces but that does not negate asylum seekers’ rights to accommodation. 

“The Government has signed up to these legal obligations and the crisis has been made worse by the lack of a long-term plan. 

“So, what we really need now is for a clear plan about how we’re going to address this issue.” 

Since 2022, the Government has spent €1.3bn on accommodation for asylum seekers.

Main image: Asylum seeker tents along the Grand Canal. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews