Court considers detention of Moldovans

The High Court is considering the legality of the detention of 19 Moldovan immigrants who have been held at Dublin's Mountjoy jail since Sunday.

They all hold valid visas and work permits.

The men were due to begin work at Kildare Chilling meat plant, but were stopped by an immigration officer at Dublin Airport and told their jobs were no longer available because of the BSE crisis.

The State insists the men were informed of this before they left Moldova, although they dispute this.

The court heard that since their detention, two other companies have come forward to offer the men jobs.