African asylum seeker 'raped girl, 10, at migrant hotel'

A national police force is currently investigating the alleged rape of a 10-year-old Irish girl by an asylum seeker. The girl is alleged to have been sexually assaulted by a foreign national male staying at a Dublin hotel which is housing International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) applicants. The asylum seeker is understood to be from Africa. The incident is reported to have taken place on the grounds of the Citywest Hotel in the Irish capital on Monday morning.

Officers of Ireland's national police force were alerted to the scene where they found the 10-year-old girl. She is now reportedly in the care of Tusla, the State's Child and Family Agency. The little girl has been in care, according to The Irish Mirror, but was not housed at the hotel in Dublin. Investigators are continuing to look into how she ended up on the premises.

Officials are probing into whether the suspect was a resident at the asylum accommodation site, which was recently purchased by the Government to house migrants.

The suspect was arrested at the scene, and is now being questioned by Gardai. The young child is receiving care following the alleged incident, which took place on the site of the hotel, but not inside, it is understood.

Gardai told The Irish Mirror: "Gardaí are investigating an alleged assault of a female juvenile reported to have occurred at Saggart, Co. Dublin on Monday, 20th October 2025.

"A male (30s) has been arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in the Dublin region. Investigations are ongoing."

The Citywest hotel has been leased by the Government since 2020, first as part of the Covid-19 pandemic response. In 2022, it was then turned into a transit hub and accommodation centre for Ukrainian refugees and people seeking international protection.

The Government reportedly purchased the site in Ireland, which spans 6.7 hectares, for €148 million to turn it into a permanent international protection accommodation centre.

A total of 18,651 people applied for asylum in Ireland in 2024, which exceeded the previous record by more than 5,000 people.

Prior to this, the highest year on record was 2023 when 13,264 people made applications for international protection.