Romanian asylum-seeker Mr Dimitru Popa was yesterday granted leave by the High Court to challenge the deportation order of the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue. Counsel for the State, Mr Paddy McCarthy, gave an undertaking to Mr Justice Finnegan that Mr Popa would not be deported pending the outcome of his legal challenge.
Mr Michael Forde, for Mr Popa, told the court it was his contention the deportation order was spent when Mr Popa was deported and then taken back from Amsterdam and that he was now in unlawful custody following his detention on leaving the High Court on Wednesday evening.