The Government will not give into threats from hunger-striking Afghan asylum seekers occupying a historic Dublin church, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said tonight.
Most of the 41 refugees, who are on the third day of their protest at St Patrick's Cathedral, have now begun taking water after talks on their plight opened up with Irish Justice Department officials.
They had earlier vowed to starve themselves to death because they would suffer torture if returned to Afghanistan due to their links with the Taliban regime.
But Mr Ahern told the Dail tonight that the Government had a fair and comprehensive asylum process and he couldn't give in to demands from individual nationalities.
"There are 100 different nationalities in the asylum process at present and to concede to any demands from the protestors would have major negative consequences for the asylum system that we built up in the last decade," he said.
"There is no doubt that the concessions would lead to a similar protest and a major inflow of additional applicants in the hope that they would benefit from similar actions."
Mr Ahern said that Afghan asylum seekers had occupied up to 20 churches in Belgium. "We have a system. If they want to follow the system, they follow the system. But we're not going to give way to threats," he added.
The Premier said the reason for tonight's meeting with officials was not to negotiate the Afghans' asylum status. "The reason for that meeting is to hear the exact reasons for their protest and to explain to them the nature of the asylum process. "There will be no negotiations at the meeting," he told the Dail.
"St Patrick's isn't an office to deal with our legislation or any church for that matter. I don't want to be hard about it but there's no other way to deal with the situation."
Up to five of the Afghan men were earlier taken to nearby St James' Hospital for medical assessment after their conditions deteriorated overnight. There are also paramedics on standby in the Church of Ireland landmark, which dates back to the 13th Century.
Church of Ireland spokesperson Jane Maxwell said: "An invitation to talks came from the Department of Justice through the Archdeacon of Dublin, David Pierpoint. "Three of the men are due to meet department officials later in the presence of two canons from the cathedral. In the meantime most of the men have decided to take water, except for about six younger members of the group who are continuing with the fast."
The Afghan asylum seekers are lying on blankets in the North Trancept section of the cathedral.
The building was closed this morning to worshippers and tourists because of the Afghan protest. A St James' Hospital spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are currently treating five Afghan men in relation to this ongoing incident but some are nearing discharge."