An Iranian asylum-seeker has partially sewn his lips together and is entering his second week of hunger strike in a bid to have his application accepted.
The man, who entered the State three weeks ago, is being housed in the Balseskin centre for asylum-seekers in St Margaret's, north Co Dublin. He travelled here from the UK after his application for asylum there was refused.
One source who spoke to The Irish Times said the man was continuing his protest despite advice from those assisting him to abandon it and allow his application to go through normal channels.
After beginning his hunger strike nine days ago he then sewed his lips together. He has since received medical attention, and some of the stitches have been removed. However, he has refused to have all of them removed, and his mouth is still partially sewn.
It is understood that, while he is alleging that the authorities in the UK have treated him unfairly, he has not offered specifics to the Irish authorities in relation to this accusation.
He has vowed to continue with his protest until his application for asylum is accepted. Authorities learned of his failed application in the UK after his fingerprints were electronically read when he arrived in the Republic.
Meanwhile, the Residents Against Racism group yesterday staged a Christmas vigil at the Spire in O'Connell Street, Dublin, in protest at plans to deport a number of failed male asylum-seekers who have Irish-born children living here.
Spokeswoman for the group Rosanna Flynn said Ireland had adopted a "no-room-at-the-inn" policy relating to non-national men who had fathered children in Ireland in recent years.
She accused Minister for Justice Michael McDowell of having "an ideological obsession with deporting people".
"He cares neither for the asylum-seekers, their families or the communities that support them," she said. "Michael McDowell follows the line of no room at the inn, and if Jesus Christ was born in Ireland today there would be no doubt that he would deport him."
Nigerian father-of-three Yomi Ogunyemi was one of 100 protesters at yesterday's vigil. He arrived in the Republic in August after his wife travelled here last year. She has since given birth to their daughter, Joanne, who is an Irish citizen.
He said there were about 50 non-national men in the State whose children are classed as Irish citizens but whose application to stay in Ireland has been declined.
"I now have two options. Either I am deported back to Nigeria on my own and my family stays here, or we all leave together. I think that goes against the right of my child as an Irish citizen to live here under the protection of both of her parents."
He said he was currently living in a hostel in Dublin city centre while his family was housed in Glasnevin.
"At least because we are all in Dublin I can see them every day. I know other men in the hostel whose families are in Limerick, Sligo, Galway, all over the country. They only get an allowance to go and see them once a month," Mr Ogunyemi said.
