PRESS RELEASE 24 March 2005

Green Party welcomes McDowell U-turn for Eluhanla

The Green Party has welcomed the admission by the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell that he was wrong to allow the deportation of Olunkunle Eluhanla. It has also called on the Government to allow Mr. Eluhanla to remain permanently in Ireland and to reconsider its policy on similar cases.

The Party today repeated its call on the Irish Government to reconsider its policy on deporting young people once they reach the age of 18.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said that, “Kunle’s case is not unique. I want the Government to reconsider its policy of deporting young people once they reach the age of 18. The total number of ‘aged out’ asylum seekers who have applied for leave to remain on humanitarian grounds up to 1 January 2005, but not on the basis of an Irish born child, is relatively small. I think we should be cautious about deporting young people who have put down roots in this country.”

“I believe we should look compassionately at each case involving young people who are ‘aging out’. I understand that nine children under the age of 18 were deported to Nigeria last week on the same flight as Kunle. I am calling on Minister McDowell to immediately re-examine their cases with a view to allowing them to return.”

Green Party Dublin Mid-West TD Paul Gogarty, who represents the Palmerstown area, welcomed the news. He praised the work of the students of Pobalscoil Iosolde, Palmerstown for keeping the campaign alive.

Deputy Gogarty said that, “I am delighted that Minister McDowell has had a change of heart and that Kunle is able to come back to Palmerstown to complete his Leaving Certificate. The young people in Palmerstown Community School cannot be praised enough for their efforts. People power has been shown to work. Now hopefully they can all get down to their studies.”

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