A last-minute legal challenge to stop the deportation of a Nigerian mother and her two children has failed.
Lawyers acting for Olivia Agbonlahor, her autistic son Great (6) and his twin sister Melissa failed in their application to the High Court for an injunction to defer their removal from the State. The family are expecting to be deported later today.
Campaigners for the family argue that Great, who has been receiving one-to-one treatment for his condition, will be treated like an outcast in Nigeria.
Last Tuesday the family - who have lived in Ireland for five years - were escorted from their home in Co Kerry to Dublin in preparation for deportation to Nigeria. Ms Agbonlahor and her children had lived in Clonakilty before moving to Killarney last year.
Supporters staged demonstrations at the Immigration Bureau this morning and appealed to the Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, to reverse the decision.
The supporters said if Great is deported, he will face a life without treatment, in a society where autism is not understood.
But at 1.30 today, their lawyer, Kevin Brophy, told waiting media the family were being deported. "I feel embarrassed and ashamed for what this Government have done to this family and this child," Mr Brophy said.
Ms Agbonlahor and her children were expected to arrive back in Lagos later today, he said.
Mr Brophy said other Nigerian nationals due to be deported today had their deportations put back until September but that the Government had decided the Agbonlahor family were such an embarrassment they must go immediately.
"We always knew we had difficulties from a legal point of view," he said. "She [Ms Agbonlahor] was hoping the Minister would be drawn into the discussion on humanitarian grounds," Mr Brophy said.
He said it was outrageous the Minister had not stepped in and that the pressure had shown in Great who was demonstrating behavioural problems from the stress.
Ms Agbonlahor had no support in Nigeria Mr Brophy said, adding she had one night's accommodation organised for her arrival and did not know where she would go from there.
Ms Agbonlahor's husband, Martins, was still in Italy he said. Ms Agbonlahor and her children fled Italy because they say her husband, who is an author, received death threats.
Mr Brophy said although Mr Agbonlahor would become an Italian resident within two years, because his wife and children had now been deported, they would never be eligible under European Union law.