3rd December 2004 Green Party calls on Justice Minister to suspend Dancer

3rd December 2004

Green Party calls on Justice Minister to suspend Dancer’s Deportation

The Green Party has made a last minute plea to Minister for Justice Michael McDowell TD to revoke the Deportation Order issued to Sebastiao Mpembele.

Mr. Mpembele is currently appearing in a show performed by the Irish Modern Dance Theatre in the Project Theatre in Dublin’s Temple Bar. The Green Party’s Justice Spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD has written directly to the Minister urging him to revoke or suspend the Order.

Mr. Cuffe stated:
“The Deportation process in Mr. Mpembele’s case is flawed. The Deportation Order was signed by the Minister in June but only served on him a week ago. In the meantime many people have written submissions to the Minister urging him to reconsider the case.

“The Refugee Legal Service is asking the Minister to suspend the Order until such time as these submissions can be considered, and I have written directly to the Minister urging him to reconsider this case.

Mr. Mpembele was due to travel as a volunteer with the Irish team to the Winter Special Olympics in Japan next year.
ENDS

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com, or Text Ciaran on 087 265 2075.