Ahern asked to allow Nigerian family remain in Ireland

A vigil will be held for Nigerian woman Pamela Izevbekhai and her daughters today outside Leinster House in a bid to ask Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to allow them to stay in Ireland.

At present she is fighting their deportation in the High Court which will rule on Tuesday as to whether the order against them can be frozen until her full case is heard.

She claims that her daughters who are 9 and 5 will face the threat of female genital mutilation of they are forced to return.

Her eldest daughter bled to death in 1994 as a result of FGM.