Green Party welcomes Court ruling on Irish Born Child Scheme

Press Release: Justice 14 November 2006

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14 November 2006

Green Party welcomes Court ruling on Irish-born Child Scheme

Minister cannot continue to run immigration system under veil of secrecy

The Green Party welcomed the High Court's ruling today which found that the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell unlawfully breached the rights of several Irish-born children in refusing their non-national parents leave to remain in the State.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said: "I am very pleased with today's ruling. In the words of the Proclamation, we must cherish all of the children of the nation equally – not just those with Irish-born parents.

"The Green Party has been lobbying Minister McDowell for a number of months on behalf of parents with Irish-born children who have been refused leave to remain in the State under the Irish Born Child Scheme. I am delighted that many of these women and men will now have their applications reassessed.

"With the rights of children to the forefront of political discussion recently, this ruling gives us further confirmation that a referendum is needed to provide expressly for the rights of the child in the Constitution.

"This ruling sends a strong message to the Minister for Justice that he cannot continue to administer our immigration system under a veil of secrecy."