Outrage over plans to deport Nigerian before Leaving Cert

Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

The 20-year-old, whose first name is Tunda, has spent the last four years studying at Palmerstown Community School.

It is the school attended by Olukunle Eluhanla who was returned from Nigeria last April to do the Leaving Certificate after Justice Minister Michael McDowell bowed to pressure.

He was again under pressure last night to allow the student stay, at least until he completes his exams later this month. The young man was told last month to report to gardaí next Tuesday for arrangements to be returned home.

Another Leaving Certificate student Neil Burke said it was unbelievable a deportation order could be issued for a student at the same school just three months after the last controversy.

“We can accept once as a mistake but twice is unacceptable, this kind of inhumane treatment just creates more stress for everybody,” he said.

The school’s students received a special multicultural award just last weekend for their successful campaign to have Mr Eluhanla returned from Nigeria.

The minister was on EU business in Luxembourg yesterday and was unreachable for comment.

However, a spokesperson said deportation arrangements are a matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau, which was also unreachable.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said the timing was completely unfeeling and appealed to Mr McDowell’s department to make

arrangements which temper justice with mercy.

“While the law must be implemented in a fair and reasonable manner, surely it’s possible for this pupil to sit his Leaving Certificate without having to arrange for his deportation the day before his exams,” said ASTI general secretary John White.

Teachers Union of Ireland general secretary Jim Dorney described the timing as inappropriate and said the saga is hugely distressing for the student and his classmates.

Irish Refugee Council chief executive Peter O’Mahony said there has been an inexcusable record of insensitivity to the efforts people have put into their studies.