7^th August 2003

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR END TO DEPORTATIONS

The Green Party has criticised the Minister for Justice for stepping up the Government’s campaign to deport immigrant families and their Irish-born children. The Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform has sent letters to 700 immigrants, giving them less than three weeks to appeal against their deportation.   The threat of deportation has led to some families going missing.

“The rights of these children are being violated”, stated Green Party Spokesperson for Justice, Ciarán Cuffe TD. "The Departments timing is impeccable, they have managed to send out threatening letters when many solicitors are on holidays, and when the Dáil and courts are in recess.

“This method has led to people fleeing their dwellings and living their lives on the run.  The Minister has given these people little option but to go missing.  The irony is superb.  These people have fled their own countries and have come to Ireland to seek safety and protection and now they are fleeing from the only thing that should be protecting them, the Department of Justice.

"These people are parents to Irish citizens and the government has a responsibility to Irish children to investigate whether or not these children will be able to fully exercise their rights in the country that they will be deported to."