Protest Against the Deportation of Irish Children

national | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Saturday September 25, 2004 19:37 by Mark Grehan - Residents Against Racism residentsagainstracsim at eircom dot net 12a Brunswick place, Dublin 2 087 7974622 or 087 6662060

Demonstrate for justice
Central Bank, Dame Street, central Dublin
12.30 pm, Wednesday 29 September
March to the Dáil

Thousands of Irish children and their families are threatened with deportation. Although these children are Irish citizens, born and reared in Ireland, the government is refusing to let them live in their own country with their families.
Up until 2003, thousands of asylum seekers had been told that they should apply to live in Ireland on the basis that their children were born here. But in January 2003 the Supreme Court overturned the existing position, and ruled that Irish children didn’t have a right to have their families live here with them.
The response of Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has been to deport as many of these families as he can. Although the court’s decision doesn’t affect the right of Irish children to live here, he has been forcing children out of the country along with their parents. Despite the court saying that each case should be decided on its own merits, he has adopted a policy of mass deportations.
These families have done nothing wrong. They have followed the rules and procedures laid out for them. They are being made victims of a sudden change in the law, that was made after they had applied to live here. All they want is to live in Ireland with their children, and be allowed to work and make their contribution to Irish society.
The thousands of people affected by the Supreme Court decision are in a terrible situation. Through no fault of their own, they have been left not knowing what future lies ahead. Thousands of Irish citizen children, who have as much right to live here as anyone, face being kicked out of Ireland by an Irish government.
Michael McDowell should call off his deportation squads, and tell these Irish children and their families that they will be allowed to live in Ireland. Anyone who wants a fair and just Ireland will support this demand.
Demonstrate for justice
Central Bank, Dame Street, central Dublin
12.30 pm, Wednesday 29 September
March to the Dáil