A Nigerian campaigner against female genital mutilation is to be given a stay of six months on a deportation order against her, the Tánaiste has told the Dáil.
Ms Harney said she had spoken to the Minister for Justice who had agreed to the six months' stay for Ms Juliet Imiruaye, pending a review of her case. "And I would very much hope as a result of that review that he will be in a position to allow her to stay on humanitarian grounds because she has made a major impact in Ireland in relation to this particular issue," Ms Harney added.
She told Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist, Dublin West), who appealed for Ms Imiruaye to be allowed to stay in Ireland on humanitarian grounds, that she had spoken to the Attorney General, and he "assures me that female genital mutilation is covered under the Offences Against the Person Act".
Ms Imiruaye was a victim of female genital mutilation and fled Nigeria five years ago because of her campaign against the practice.
Ms Harney said that "because of the contribution that Juliet made in relation to this issue and the contribution she has made to health services in general, and given that she asked me to intervene I was very happy to do that on her behalf".
Mr Higgins had called for the Government to consider making the threat of this "barbarism" grounds for getting refuge here.
He also appealed for certainty to be given to "the cohort of parents of Irish-born children, born before the referendum, who are in a legal limbo, daily facing the anguish of uncertainty".
He said: "I know the Minister for Justice has a lot to occupy his mind over the next week but if he goes to Roscommon for the weekend and since he has no permanent roof there and may be obliged to sit in his tent, wrapped in his sleeping bag, could you ask him if he would concede to those who don't even have one home, humanitarian leave to find that home with their children in this country."
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