A Palestinian man who fled the war in his native land has gone to the High Court in a bid to secure accommodation here.
A judicial review hearing has been granted to the man who claims to have been homeless and sleeping rough since he arrived in this country in March last year.
He is seeking an order of the court to be put into accommodation and receive a vulnerability assessment without delay.
His action is against the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration and Youth; Ireland and the Attorney General.
The man who is an applicant for international protection status, is seeking an order compelling the Minister to provide him with accommodation or housing and “in particular, a vulnerability assessment without further delay”.
The initial application was brought on behalf of the man, who is in his 40s, by barrister Keivon Sotoodeh, instructed by Patrick J Sweeney Solicitors, and leave for hearing was granted by Mr Justice Mark Heslin at a vacation High Court sitting last month.
The man is also seeking a declaration that the Minister’s alleged failure to perform a public duty imposed on him by EU regulations since he indicated his intention to apply for international protection has been “unlawful”.
His lawyers also seek a declaration that the respondent acted in breach of the applicant’s rights to a “dignified standard of living”, pursuant to EU law regarding applicants for international protection covering human dignity, integrity of the person, prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment and respect for family life.
The man states that he arrived in Ireland in March 2024 and presented himself at the International Protection Office to make his application.
The statement grounding the application to the High Court claims the man was “forced to flee his home country of Palestine, due to the ongoing conflict therein and the very real danger that he found himself in”.
It is claimed the man has been homeless for the past ten months and that he “desperately requires” assistance to accommodate him as he has been sleeping rough in a tent “where he has been exposed to the elements in the middle of winter”.
In addition, the grounding statement says the man is suffering from PTSD as a result of what he experienced in Palestine.
He claims that his mental health is adversely affected by homelessness and further submits that “sleeping rough in an area such as Dublin, which experiences an increasing level of criminality and anti-immigrant sentiment," resulted in his mental health worsening further.
“Admitting the applicant to accommodation within the portfolio of International Protection Accommodation Services would improve his health, safety, and would place him in a position that would facilitate him receiving the medical care that he urgently needs,” the statement asserts.
The man’s lawyers say his situation is now “very critical and he is becoming more and more desperate”.
Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty adjourned the matter to Wednesday.