Olunkunle Eluhanla Leaving Cert

PRESS RELEASE 15 March 2005

Green Party calls for review of deportation process

The Green Party has called for a review of the deportation process following concerns raised by NGO’s over nationwide arrests in recent days and last night’s deportation of 35 Nigerians.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said today that,
“I am particularly concerned at the deportation of a man who was about to sit his Leaving Certificate exams in June of this year. There are also reports that the parents of children who were strongly integrated into schools and communities around Ireland are among those who have been deported.”

“I am disturbed at the lack of compassion and humanity shown by Michael McDowell, Minister for Justice. Such powers should be given to an independent agency that would hopefully exercise more compassion and humanity over individual cases.”

“I am calling on the Minister to publish the criteria for deportations as many of the decisions seem to have been made on an ad-hoc basis.
Representations by local communities appear to have had no influence over deportation decisions. I intend to table questions to the Minister for Justice next week on the issue,” concluded Deputy Cuffe.

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