The High Court has heard the government has not yet decided if the case of the so called 'hooded men' should be revisited by the European Court of Human Rights.

A ruling in 1978 found the men were subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment by the British authorities in Northern Ireland but the Strasbourg court rejected their claim that they were tortured.

The survivors of the group known as the 'hooded men' are trying to force the Irish government to apply to the European Court of Human Rights for it to revisit its decision from 1978.

They claim new evidence has come to light that shows the British government withheld vital evidence. However the clock is ticking because the deadline is this Thursday.

A court hearing to force a decision either way has been put back until tomorrow because the men's lawyers are hopeful the government will have called it by then.

Barrister Ronan Lavery said they've been given assurances that the matter is under 'careful and serious' consideration.

However, if the government decides not to review their torture claims – then the men will proceed with a legal challenge to that decision.