The Archbishop of Dublin has appealed to the Government to consider the case of a Nigerian student who was deported two months before he was due to sit his Leaving Certificate in June.
Dr Diarmuid Martin said it was "hard to understand" why the deportation of Olunkunle Eluhanla could not have been postponed "for a few weeks" until he had completed his exams.
About 300 supporters of Mr Eluhanla and other Nigerians who were deported last week demonstrated outside the Dáil at lunchtime. They included about 50 classmates and some teachers of the deported youth from Palmerstown Community College.
It has emerged that nine under-18s, seven boys and two girls, were among the 35 Nigerians deported last week. The removal, carried out on an airplane chartered by the Department of Justice, cost €265,000, the Minister told the Dáil.
In Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, a public meeting is being held tonight in support of Nkechi Okolie and her three children, who were among those deported last week.