The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is calling for the Government to reverse its policy of not offering State-provided accommodation to new asylum seekers.
The group has written to Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O'Gorman, saying that "Ireland is currently in clear breach of its international obligations regarding newly arrived applicants for International Protection".
It comes as 31 more newly arrived international protection applicants were left without accommodation yesterday, according to figures released by the department.
This brings to 55 the number of asylum seekers who have been left without State provided accommodation this week.
The IHREC believes that failing to provide accommodation to newly arriving adult applicants, who present without children, is a clear breach of the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 230/2018) and the related European Directive.
"While the legislation does envisage an exceptional situation where housing capacity is temporarily exhausted, it stipulates that, in these cases, and for as short a period as possible, an applicant’s basic needs must still be met," it said.
"However, we believe that these basic needs are not being met in circumstances where no accommodation is provided to new applicants for International Protection."
It believes that there also may be breaches of the law in relation to the provision of food, a daily expense allowance, clothing, and access to healthcare.
The commission also raised concerns about the standards in accommodation, which is being offered to international applicants, when it is available.
"Ireland's breach of our international obligations is both legally and morally unacceptable. Many of the people coming here have already suffered trauma in the countries they are fleeing," said Chief Commissioner Sinéad Gibney.
"Accommodating people who seek asylum into Ireland is not a choice: it is our obligation, one that we have signed up to. The State must move out of emergency mode, and implement a long term, whole-of-Government approach that reflects the reality of the world we now live in."
On Tuesday, the department announced that it would no longer be able to offer accommodation to newly arrived international protection applicants due to a nationwide shortage of available accommodation. It has said it will keep this policy under review.
The International Protection Accommodation Service is continuing to offer accommodation to families with children.
