The Government is to ask the European Court of Human Rights to revise its judgement in the case of the 'Hooded men'.
In the 1970s, 14 men were interned and subjected to interrogation techniques including; white noise, sensory deprivation, wall-standing, food-and-drink deprivation and hooding.
In 1978 the European Court of Human Rights found that while this amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment it did not constitute torture.
An RTE documentary in June of this year alleged that the British authorities at the time misled the European Commission on Human Rights and the Court by withholding information. The documentary went on to allege that the decision to use the interrogation techniques had been taken at UK Cabinet level.
In a statement this afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said that the decision was taken following a review of thousands of recently released documents and taking account of legal advice received.
Mr Flanagan says that based on new documents, the Government will contend that the ill-treatment suffered by the Hooded Men should be recognised as torture.
"On the basis of the new material uncovered, it will be contended that the ill-treatment suffered by the Hooded Men should be recognised as torture," Mr Flanagan said.
“The Government’s decision was not taken lightly. As EU partners, UK and Ireland have worked together to promote human rights in many fora and during the original case, the UK did not contest before the European Court of Human Rights that a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention of Human rights took place.
"The British and Irish Governments have both worked hard to build stronger more trusting relations in recent years and I believe that this relationship will now stand to us as we work through the serious matters raised by these cases which have come to light in recent months.”
Welcoming the decision Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, has said the decision "bravely flies the flag for human rights."
“Today’s decision by the Irish Government is hugely welcomed by Amnesty International. We commend Ireland for helping these men, and the families of those who have since died, to finally have their right to truth and justice vindicated for what we now know happened to them in 1971," O'Gorman said.
"The UK withheld from the European Court what it knew about the terrible suffering deliberately inflicted on them and its being sanctioned at the highest levels of the UK Government. Ireland’s decision today bravely flies the flag for human rights and the universal and unconditional prohibition of torture."
