Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister of State giving me that response. I am heartened to hear he has spoken to officials in the Department. It is 30°C in Kuala Lumpur today, there is 83% humidity and those children are barefoot in a mosquito-infested cell. The Malaysian authorities have told me they are imminent in their desire to deport them to Damascus. We do not need an aircraft. We do not need to borrow an aircraft from another State to save these family members of an Irish family. All we need is a bit of ink on a piece of paper and we can save their lives.

I implore the Minister of State to speak with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, who I know is aware of this case, because she very generously spoke to me about it last month. I know she is committed to helping this family. However, the letter we got from the Malaysian authorities is very clear. They are just at the point of deporting them. I therefore plead, consistent with the piece that Kitty Holland highlighted in TheIrish Times this week, with the State to help this family. It is a matter of urgency. They arein extremis. All it needs is a stroke of the pen and the Malaysians will deport them to their family in Dublin, as opposed to deporting them to Damascus, where they would face certain death.