Mother and son lose legal challenge over asylum seekers’ status

A mother and son have lost a legal challenge to the direct provision system for asylum seekers.

However, the High Court has declared as unlawful some of the house rules of direct provision refugee centres, including daily signing on, unannounced inspections, and a ban on having guests.

Mr Justice Colm MacEochaidh said the mother and son, who have been residents of the Eglinton Centre in Galway since seeking asylum in 2011, had failed to discharge the burden of proof that direct provision, with or without a time limit, breached their human rights because it constituted inhuman or degrading treatment.