I read with interest the article by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter (15-29 February). While his portrayal of the positive aspects of the State’s immigration policies was comprehensive, his defence of its deportation policy lacked any detail. The minister merely states that deportation is “an unfortunate but necessary component of a balanced and fair immigration system”.
Dr Ronit Lentin is correct when she refers to the fear and trauma created by the threat of deportation. After spending years in the direct provision system – a system rightly condemned by a number of human rights groups – people are given deportation orders.
These are enforced by pre-dawn raids where men, women and children are taken from their beds. In some cases families are torn apart. There are currently a number of women, all of them with young children and living alone here, whose husbands have been deported.
Minister Shatter rightly condemned the policy of the De Valera-led Fianna Fáil Government in the 1930s and ’40s of closing the doors on Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. It is therefore ironic that he currently has responsibility for a department that has the lowest acceptance rate for granting refugee status in the EU. Ireland grants less than two per cent of asylum seekers refugee status.
It is now time to end the inhumane deportation policy. All those in the direct provision system should be given leave to remain. These people have suffered enough. Their presence here would enrich Irish society. This would be a positive legacy for Minister Shatter, not like that of the war time Fianna Fáil Government.
Joe Moore
Cork Anti Racism Network
