Nigerian student faces deportation after Leaving Cert
Tunde Omoniyi had been asked to meet the Garda National Immigration Bureau next Tuesday to make arrangements for his deportation.
The 20-year-old, who has been in Ireland for four years, is set to begin the Leaving Certificate the next day.
But an accommodation has now been reached with the gardaí and the date for his deportation arrangements has been deferred until later this month. As a result of the letter sent to him in the past two days, he will now be able to do the exams as planned.
Mr Omoniyi is a student at Palmerstown Community School, which is also attended by fellow Nigerian Olukunle Eluhanla, who was deported in March. He returned to Dublin three weeks later to do the Leaving Certificate after Justice Minister Michael McDowell reversed his deportation order following public pressure.
Fellow students at the schoolwere delighted at the news yesterday.
“We can’t ask any more than that, for him to be allowed do the exams like the rest of us,” said Neil Burke.
The school could not be reached for comment yesterday but teacher unions had earlier this week criticised the timing of arrangements for Mr Omoniyi, calling for more sensitivity when it comes to students preparing for exams.
Irish Refugee Council chief executive Peter O’Mahony said failed asylum seekers are being deported without being given an opportunity to complete their studies.
“A woman was sent home recently just weeks away from completing another year in school. In many countries asylum seekers come from, young people are rarely expected to go to third level and completing secondary school is a major achievement,” he said.
He said little account is taken of the disruption to young people’s education when they are moved between accommodation centres while awaiting the outcome of their asylum applications.
