Heartbreak on hold for twins
Five-week stay on deportation for autistic boy's family
AUTISTIC boy Great Agbonlahor has been spared deportation to Nigeria for at least another five weeks.
The six-year-old boy, his mother Olivia (36) and twin sister Melissa feared they would be deported in coming days after they were told to present at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
Much to the family's relief, they were able to leave the Burgh Quay office for their home in Clonakilty, Co Cork. However, the threat of deportation still hangs over them and they must return to the GNIB on July 19 next.
Earlier, a High Court judge refused to grant an interim order preventing the family's deportation - just over two hours before they had to report to the authorities.
A tense-looking Ms Agbonlahor arrived at the GNIB accompanied by her children and solicitor Kevin Brophy shortly before 2pm. Less than 10 minutes later they re-emerged clearly delighted with the news that they were to stay in Ireland for at least another month.
"I'm okay now and they're okay," said Ms Agbonlahor, nodding to her two children.
Unaware of how close he had come to being deported, a boisterous Great played with reporters' microphones and happily posed for photographers with his umbrella.
Mr Brophy said it was unfortunate that the family had to travel to Dublin yesterday, not knowing if they were going to be deported. But, he said, they were determined to continue fighting the case in the High Court.
He said the case had so far been "bitterly contested" and he expected the State to continue to contest it when it comes before the court again on Monday.
"We will continue to fight this as long as it takes to keep the family in the country," he said.
Referring to the family's next appointment at the GNIB in July, Mr Brophy said: "We don't have any undertaking that they won't be deported then," he warned.
Earlier, High Court judge Mr Justice Eamon de Valera decided that he could not hear the family's application for an injunction to stop their deportation until next Monday when the State can be represented.
Last April, the family lost a High Court challenge to a deportation order. At the time, Mr Justice Kevin Feeney ruled that the decision of the Minister for Justice last year not to revoke the deportation orders for the family was not a violation of their rights.
Ms Agbonlahor had challenged the decision to deport her and the twins, contending that Great would be treated as an outcast in Nigeria because of his condition and that Melissa would be seen as a "voodoo sibling".
This week the Department of Justice refused to review the deportation order on a new application based on a new diagnosis that Great was autistic and not suffering from ADHD as previously thought.
A group of protesters from Residents Against Racism gathered at the GNIB to show their support for the family.
Their spokesperson Rosanna Flynn said it would be a "wonderful humanitarian act" on the part of the new Justice Minister, Brian Lenihan, if he were to allow the family to remain in Ireland.
"He is in the hot seat now but his past shows he does care about humanitarian issues. This is a most unusual case because of Great's condition. It is not going to open the floodgates for hundreds of other requests.
"We would ask Brian Lenihan to make an exception for Great and his family, they are part of Irish society now," she said.
Ms Flynn said Great had benefitted from treatment here in Ireland and has come on in leaps and bounds.
- Breda Heffernan and Ann O'Loughlin
