James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, for taking this matter on the Adjournment. The situation with regard to Ms Odunsi and Ms Nwanze and their families is well documented and, I am sure, well known to the Minister. Elizabeth Odunsi and her four children, aged 17, 14, 11 and five years have been living in Athlone, County Westmeath, since 2001, having fled their own country of Nigeria. Their applications for refugee status were rejected as were their applications for leave to remain on humanitarian grounds. They were served with deportation orders.

Iyabo Nwanze and her two sons Emmanuel and Israel, aged eight and five years. respectively, have also been living in Athlone since 2001 and are also from Nigeria. They too were refused refugee status and leave to remain on humanitarian grounds and were served with deportation orders. The bottom line is that this is the sad story of families being split up and children being separated from their mothers. As a result a small boy of eight years of age is on the run in County Westmeath.

This boy, Emmanuel, the son of a Nigerian mother, Lyabo Nwanze, is essentially a fugitive. This small child has been left terrified, without family and forced into hiding. His mother and younger brother have been deported to Nigeria where they are living in a two-roomed house with six others. Emmanuel's brother Israel has contracted malaria.

People on the run seems like history repeating itself. However, far from this being the case of a patriot fighting for the freedom of his country who is forced into hiding, we are talking of a virtual baby on the run. It would be stretching the case to say that Emmanuel is a fugitive from justice. Perhaps it is more apt to say that he is a fugitive from injustice. I urge the Minister to consider from what this little boy is running or where he is running. No matter how he plays it, he is in a no-win situation. If he gives himself up, he will most likely be deported and will be reunited with his mother and brother. If he keeps running, he will not get to see his mother, but will avoid deportation and keep alive the hope of a secure life in a safe environment.

It is inconceivable that in this day and age a little boy is forced to run and hide, spending just a day at a time in any one house. Is this what we expect in a country such as ours? The enforced separation of mothers and children is something which has no place in our society. The subsequent forcing of an eight year old child to run and hide from authority is reprehensible.

Imagine the horror and desperation of these two mothers who attended Athlone Garda station on Monday, 14 March, as requested for what they thought was a routine procedure. They were deprived of their mobile phones, brought to their homes to pack and were only able to take their younger children, who had finished school for the day, with them. Admittedly, they were brought to two secondary schools where their children were pupils, but failed to find them. No attempt was made to go to the national school attended by two of the other children. Imagine how these mothers felt being driven to the airport, not knowing where their other children were, hysterical in the knowledge that they were leaving Ireland without them. Basic humanity and regard for human rights seem sadly missing in this scenario.

Far from what has been said subsequently, Elizabeth and Lyabo did not abandon their children. On the contrary, they were forced to leave without them. Where was there any regard or adherence to the United Nations convention on the rights of the child, which states in Article 9.1: "State Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated form his or her parents against their will... ", in this appalling inhumane act?

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, said in the Dáil that he recognised the "moral force" of granting residency to a family who had been attending school here for several years and were integrated into the community. These families were certainly well integrated into their community and it was their desire that their children should be involved in education and attend school that led to their separation.