Nigerian mother of two Pamela Izevbekhai has instructed new lawyers for her Supreme Court appeal aimed at halting the deportation of herself and her daughters.
Ms Izevebkhai argues the family should not be returned to Nigeria on grounds there is a real risk her young daughters will be subjected to forcible female genital mutilation.
After it was revealed last month that some documents used to support Ms Izevnbekhai's claim to stay here had been forged, the lawyers who had fought her case applied to the Supreme Court to be allowed cease representing Ms Izevbekhai.
Ms Izevbekhai sought time to instruct new lawyers and was told last by the Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray, she must have new lawyers in place before May 28th when an application by the State to have her entire case dismissed will be heard.
The State has said it wants the case dismissed on grounds it had proceeded "on a lie".
At the Supreme Court today, Patrick Dillon Malone BL represented Ms Izevbekhai, who was not herself in court, and said her new legal team had formally come "on record" on yesterday and would be representing her in court on May 28th.
Counsel for the State, Hugh Mohan SC, asked that any affidavits which Ms Izevebkhai will be swearing should be provided to his side as soon as possible.
Mr Mihan said three weeks had passed since Ms Izevbekhai's previous lawyers came off record and he did not want to "find myself back here on the 28th with no affidavits".
The Supreme Court formally noted the previous lawyers had had come off record and a new team was in place.
Sligo-based Ms Izevbekhai has failed in a number of High Court bids to prevent the deportation of herself and her daughters, culminating in the intervention last November of the European Court of Human Rights which asked the Government to postpone any moves to deport them while it considered the case.
