30th January 2003

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Supreme Court decision will encourage racism and will lead to discrimination - Ó Snodaigh

Sinn Fein spokesperson on Justice and Equality Aengus Ó Snodaigh this morning attempted to raise in the Dáil, before being ruled `out of order', the Supreme Court decision that allows for the wholesale deportation of the parents of Irish children simply on the grounds of ethnicity said:

``The Supreme Court decision has reduced thousands of Irish-born children to the status of second class citizens on the basis of their ethnicity alone. This ruling paves the way for the de facto deportation of thousands of these Irish citizens, together with their parents - contravening the rights of these Irish children under the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Ireland has ratified. This move will not only encourage racism in Irish society and immigration policy but may also lead to discrimination against women asylum seekers.''ENDS

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