Public fury has gripped Ireland following the shocking revelation that hundreds of asylum seekers, believed to be children, were in fact adults who had been placed in state-funded accommodation for minors. The scandal has intensified amid a murder case where the teenage suspect is now alleged by authorities to be an adult.
Systemic Failures in Age Assessment
Over the past three years, almost 200 individuals were incorrectly housed in accommodation operated by Tusla, the Irish Child and Family Agency, before it was discovered they were over the age of 18. The number of international protection applicants initially processed as minors but later deemed ineligible due to their age has more than doubled since 2023, according to data obtained by the Irish Independent.
Peader Tóibín, leader of the conservative party Aontú, condemned the government's handling of the situation. Speaking on Newstalk radio, he stated, "This is absolutely shocking and, again, we believe that Tusla and the immigration services are not doing their job properly to actually fully check the age of individuals."
A Tragic Death and a Suspect's True Age
The issue has been thrust into the spotlight following the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Ukrainian boy Vadym Davydenko on October 15. Vadym had been in Ireland for just four days and was staying at a Tusla-run emergency accommodation centre in Grattan Wood, Donaghmede, for separated child applicants.
A suspect, also residing at the facility and initially presented as a 17-year-old in court, was arrested and charged with the murder. However, police inquiries, including examination of a birth certificate obtained from relatives, now indicate the suspect is an adult male over the age of 18. Authorities have requested the case be moved to the adult courts.
Vadym's family described him as a "kind, intelligent and well-mannered" young man who had fled Ukraine for a better life and dreamed of a career in cybersecurity. A memorial service in Dublin heard how he had come to Ireland "for safety and for peace."
Rising Numbers and Community Tensions
Sinn Féin's justice spokesman, Matt Carthy, revealed that 192 'separated children seeking international protection' have been found to be over 18 in the last three years. The figures show a sharp increase:
- 2023: 39 cases
- 2024: 67 cases
- 2025 (to date): 86 cases
Carthy emphasised the dual need for a robust system: "There naturally needs to be protection for everybody who claims to be a minor, but we also need to protect the children who are in state care who are minors."
The crisis has exacerbated community tensions. In October, the Dublin suburb of Saggart saw violent anti-migrant protests after local media reported an alleged sexual assault of a ten-year-old Irish girl in the grounds of a hotel housing asylum seekers. A 26-year-old man was charged in connection with that assault, which involved a girl in Tusla's care. Four police officers were hospitalised and 31 people arrested during the ensuing riots.
Tusla's chief executive, Kate Duggan, was forced to apologise after the agency issued a statement saying the girl had "absconded," a comment criticised in the Dáil as verging on victim-blaming.
Calls are now growing for an independent inquiry into how such systemic failures occurred and how a fatal attack could happen inside a facility supposedly staffed around the clock. The case has placed Ireland's international protection system and its safeguards for vulnerable children under intense scrutiny.
