Labour Conference 2007

Comments

1. On 19 Nov, 2007 at 11:40 am Martin ODea said:

The Labour Party conference addressed an issue in the area of immigration by inviting a number of individuals to relay their personal experiences over the weekend. I am sure there is a reasoned, well thought-through stance to be taken with regard to 'aged-out' children in our system, but I have absolutely no interest in it. Some things transcend intellectual calculation by appealing directly to the part of us that empathises and understands the plight of other people. These children, or 'aged-out adults', are under no circumstances to be deported. The repurcussions of this (and for the sensitive we are dealing with 150 kids, and I doubt many will seperate themselves from their families to come to the emerald isle) are important to deal with after accepting this basic point. I would appeal to members to join hands and encircle these young people in a protective embrace. Urgent suggestions to the means of this protection would be great and I am sure Gardai would thank us that they can keep their unsuitable handcuffs in their pockets.

2. On 20 Nov, 2007 at 11:25 am Martin ODea said:

To the minister for Justice

Does the law constrain or is it a reasonable adaptable construct of human kind that can seek out injustices and play its part in their remedy. Is the second option given naïve or essential? I have engaged in this argument quite recently and felt completely unsatisfied.
I attended the labour party conference last weekend and during a debate on a motion on immigration I heard two young ladies who entered this country after losing their families and as children, they have since turned 18, are to be deported. Interesting loophole or series of events that should be discussed you might think. There may be a certain argument to say that it is just tough luck. Maybe where they are going won’t be too bad.
Absolute nonsense. These young girls asked if they could stay – and they are not to be sent away, not in my name, not by my government. I am not interested in repercussions because I am trying to help a couple of extraordinarily deserving young girls who I feel ill at the thought of any harm befalling. For those who worry about repercussions (this is 150 children – and as nice as our economy, and how friendly we all are and so on – these children find themselves here because they have lost their parents. Not something I expect you would wish to give you passage somewhere). Having said all that, if people still have a problem with defying this deportation order on any logical grounds – I would suggest the following agreement: These children stay, and we figure out how to best deal with this reality through the law!

Yours,
Martin O’Dea

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