Refugees could sue State for poor treatment

THE State could be sued by refugees and asylum seekers who feel they have been wrongly treated, says the Irish Refugee Council.

The warning comes as it emerged yesterday that an asylum seeker in Britain is suing the British Government for stg£30,000 after problems with his application left him depressed.

On the likelihood of similar action in Ireland, IRC chief executive Peter O’Mahony said many in the Irish asylum system would have grievances and were entitled to have them addressed: “Where people feel they have been abused by the system then they are entitled to seek their rights. Where there is an abuse of people’s rights and where the state is responsible, then clearly people have a right to pursue that.”