Friends of deported Leaving Cert student mount Dáil protest
Friends of a Nigerian Leaving Cert student who was deported from Ireland last week have mounted a protest outside the Dáil today.
Olunkunle Eluhanla was among 35 Nigerians deported to Lagos on a specially-chartered flight following the rejection of their asylum applications.
Last night, Justice Minister Michael McDowell rejected calls from several politicians for Mr Eluhanla to be allowed to return, claiming to do so would lead to a chaotic immigration system.
His fellow students from Palmerstown Community School picketed the Dáil this afternoon to express their disgust at the situation.
One of the protestors, Anthony Maine, said the Government should show some compassion.
"He's been here four years, he's been in school three years," Mr Maine said. "They're building up a child's hopes and then just taking everything away from him."
Meanwhile, the students were joined at today's protest by a group of demonstrators from Athlone seeking to highlight the case of two Nigerian women who were deported last week without their children.
