Organisations call for suspension of refugee deportations

CHILDREN’S welfare organisations and refugee support groups expressed deep concern for families affected by the Supreme Court ruling that foreign-born parents of Irish-born children can be deported with or without their offspring.

The Children’s Rights Alliance, which represents 72 charitable and voluntary organisations including the ISPCC, Barnardos and the Society of St Vincent de Paul, called for a suspension of deportations until a plan is in place to deal with the implications for the children involved.

The Department of Justice last night refused to comment on whether it believed it had any responsibility for children forced to leave with their parents once they had left Ireland, or to speculate on how it would care for children left behind here.