The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission commenced the proceedings against the State in December 2023, using its power to bring legal proceedings in its own name for the first time.

The rights body succeeded in the High Court, which ruled in August 2024 that the State had breached the human right to dignity of 2,807 single male international protection applicants.

However, the State successfully appealed before the Court of Appeal, which ruled in July 2025 that the Commission had not provided adequate evidence to prove that their physical or mental health was undermined or that they were in a state of degradation incompatible with human dignity.

In November 2025, the Supreme Court granted the Commission leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s ruling.

The hearing commenced today and is scheduled for two days.