MORE to folly
Passport Control at Dublin Airport
Last month, on December 15, the Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald told the Dáil the following number of people, of certain nationalities, were refused permission to enter Ireland last year – and subsequently deported: Syrian 59; Afghan 139; Eritrean 11; and Iranian 44.
In addition, Ms Fitzgerald stated:
“I would advise the Deputy [Padraig Mac Lochlainn] that persons refused leave to land and who are subsequently removed from the State are returned to their point of embarkation, which in most cases is within the EU. I would point out in relation to the countries concerned that no commercial direct flights to Ireland are available from these countries.”
Further to this, the CEO of the Irish Refugee Council Sue Conlan has released a statement this evening, saying:
“It is unfortunate that the State refuses leave to land to nationals of these countries during the greatest refugee crisis since World War II. According to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, 75% of Syrians and Eritreans require international protection, which suggests that the State potentially turned away some 50 refugees from its borders last year. Nationals of Afghanistan and Iran are also likely to be fleeing persecution. We regret that they were refused leave to land and not admitted to the State to have their protection needs assessed.”
“People are refused leave to land in closed rooms in airports. They are refused leave to land in circumstances where they have no access to lawyers or legal information, no clarity around their rights. An estimated 3,000 people [in total] were refused leave to land in Ireland last year, about the same number who applied for asylum. The Irish Refugee Council spoke with a very small number of those. What we heard concerns us. We call on the Minister to release the full details of refusals of leave to land not only of these nationalities but of all nationalities and to provide greater clarity around the process.”
Refusals of leave to land are alarming, says Irish Refugee Council (IRC)
Previously: Pawns In The Game
Mark Stedman/Rollingnews
A multi award-winning short by UK filmmaker Spencer Brown that tells the surreal tale (narrated in rhyme by the mighty Stephen Berkoff) of a boy who is born with the ability to record every instant of his life but can’t look back on any of it.
Pumped
at
From top: Angie Bowie; Dean Strang, lead defence attorney in the documentary Making A Murderer about Steven Avery
YIKES!
Anne-Louise Foley writes:
In her first Irish broadcast interview since leaving the Celebrity Big Brother house earlier this week, Angie Bowie, ex-wife of rock legend David Bowie, will join Ray D’Arcy on his show this Saturday to talk about her fascinating life on and off our television screens.
And [GAA/Illuminati member] Dean Strang, one of the lead defence attorneys in the hit Netflix US documentary series Making a Murderer, will be giving Ray his unique insight into a case that has gripped audiences both in Ireland and abroad. More guests to be announced tomorrow.
The Ray D’Arcy Show is on Saturday on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.
Previously: Staying In Saturday?
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin
Further to Minister for Children Dr James Reilly telling the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child last week that the divestment of existing school patronage in Ireland is slow…
Breakingnews.ie reports:
Priests should not baptise children whose parents are just trying to get them into better schools, the Archbishop of Dublin [Diarmuid Martin] has said.
…”It’s [just] not this baptismal certificate – it’s a religious … entry into the life of the church, and to baptise somebody for any other reasons is wrong.
“Parents, you know, shouldn’t be presenting children to be baptised in that way – but priests shouldn’t be doing it either.”
Previously: ‘Divestment Of School Patronage Is Slow’
Sam Boal/Rollingnews
Oh.
Previously: How The Web Summit Was Lost
Who Took The Web From The Web Summit?
Thanks Scary Lady via Visit Portugal
Alan O’Regan writes:
“This may be a dumb question but An Post doesn’t seem to want to answer me. What is the reason credit cards can’t be used to buy foreign currency in post offices? I can’t seem to find a good reason online.”
Anyone?
Anne Marie O’Connor tweetz:
Newline Road Wexford (notoriously dangerous stretch). Fianna Fáil left this there today.
Anyone?
Pic: Terry Byrne
UPDATE:
Fianna Fáil’s Aoife Byrne writes:
“Somebody’s idea of high jinks could have caused an accident today and I sincerely wish to apologise for any distress caused. My advertising trailer was moved and abandoned in a dangerous spot on the New Line Road to make it seem my campaign team had no respect for drivers or road safety. This is not the case. Please think before you act – the trailer has now been removed. Thank you to those who brought the situation to my attention.”
Thanks Aoife
FURTHER UPDATE:
Yikes.