500 signatures reached
To: Minister for Justice - Jim O'Callaghan
Deportation Amnesty for Children in the Irish School System for a year or more.
We, the undersigned, call on the Minister for Justice - Jim O'Callaghan, and the Government of Ireland to immediately implement a deportation amnesty for families with children who have been enrolled in the Irish school system for a year or more.
These are children who have formed roots in Irish society — who speak English or Irish, attend local schools, play with local children, and in many cases know no other home. Deporting these children and their families, after a year or more of education in Ireland, represents a profound breach of our national and international obligations to protect the rights and welfare of children.
Our Demand:
We urge the Government to grant an immediate deportation amnesty to all families whose children have been in the Irish education system for a year or more. These children have demonstrated social integration, educational progress, and community connection. Removing them now not only disrupts their lives, but also undermines Ireland’s commitment to human rights and child protection.
Supporting Grounds:
- The Best Interests of the Child (Article 3, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)
As a signatory to the UNCRC, Ireland is obligated to treat the best interests of the child as a primary consideration in all actions concerning children. Deporting children who are integrated into the school system runs counter to this duty. - Right to Education (Article 42A of the Irish Constitution and Article 28 of the UNCRC)
Education is not just a right, but a stabilising and formative influence in a child's life. After a year or more in Irish schools, children have built an educational foundation that must be protected — not interrupted by sudden and traumatic deportation. - Non-Penalisation of Children for System Failures
Many families affected by deportation have spent years navigating Ireland’s asylum system. It is wholly unjust to punish children for administrative delays, poor communication, or legal failings. These are systemic issues, not moral or legal failings of the children. - Protection from Harm (Children First Act 2015)
Ireland’s child protection laws oblige the State to safeguard children from harm. Deportation after a year or more in school — particularly when done without proper planning or support — constitutes emotional and psychological harm. - Respect for Family and Private Life (Article 8, European Convention on Human Rights)
After a year or more in Ireland, many families have formed community bonds and social ties. Deportation in such cases is not simply an administrative act; it severs relationships and disrupts deeply embedded lives.
In addition, we urge the Government to cease deportations of children during the school term. Where deportations are to occur (only of children who have been in the Irish education system for less than a year), they should take place during school holidays to avoid unnecessary trauma to their children and the wider school community and allow children to finish their academic term with dignity and closure.
We demand:
- A deportation amnesty for families whose children have been in the Irish school system for a year or more.
- Repatriation of children, and their families who have been recently deported who have been in the Irish education system for over a year, some of them from upwards of three years.
- A commitment to uphold Ireland’s legal and moral obligations to protect children from harm and displacement.
- A moratorium on term-time deportations of school-age children, with guidelines ensuring that educational disruption is minimised.
- A clear policy framework that ensures no child is penalised for the systemic failures of the asylum and immigration process.
Numerous European studies show that immigration-related detention and frequent relocations lead to toxic stress, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and impaired cognitive development in children. Repeated school disruptions further strip away essential protective environments, contravening the UNCRC, EU Charter, and ECHR requirements to prioritise the best interests of the child .
Give children security. End fear. Grant this amnesty.
Why is this important?
Ireland must not be a country where children are punished for seeking refuge and for the failures of the Irish asylum process. We must be a nation that values protection, compassion, and justice, especially for the most vulnerable.