HSE continuing to monitor health of hunger strikers

The Health Service Executive is continuing to monitor the condition of the 41 Afghan asylum-seekers on hunger strike at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.

The executive said today that the men were undergoing tests on a regular basis and their condition this morning was stable.

The HSE has sent doctors to the cathedral to make sure the protestors get the medical attention they need, particularly the teenagers involved in the protest.

Several of the hunger strikers have already been hospitalised with dehydration and kidney problems, but they have all rejoined their colleagues after being discharged.

The Government is refusing to meet the men's demand for political asylum, saying they must go through the normal asylum process.

However, the protestors say they have not received a fair hearing from the Irish authorities and fear they will be deported to Afghanistan, where they say they are at risk of torture or death.