The planned deportation of a Kurdish mother and her two teenage sons this week has been delayed for several months following High Court proceedings yesterday.
A solicitor for Hamim Gül and her two sons, Orhan (14) and Yusuf (13) secured leave for a judicial review of issues regarding the State's decision to deport them.
They were due to be deported to Turkey tomorrow.
The State has agreed to delay the planned deportation until the judicial review proceedings are completed. This process could take up to a year.
Colm Stanley, solicitor for the family, said: "There is a sense of relief that the planned deportation has been forestalled, and we await the decision of the High Court on the substantive issues."
The Gül family has been based in Glounthaune, a village outside Cork city, for almost three years.
Community leaders, school teachers and residents have been lobbying Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to allow the family to remain in the State.
The two boys attend local schools and are involved in the local soccer team and youth club.
Colm Twohig, trainer of the Knockraha-Leeside soccer team, said the boys were very popular in the area and had made great progress at school.
Mr Twohig said he was delighted the deportation had been delayed, but said it was unfair the family should still face the threat of deportation given that they had contributed much to the community in recent years.
Local groups have been raising money for the High Court proceedings which are likely to cost in excess of €5,000.
Cork City footballer Joe Gamble and Cobh Ramblers defender Terry White will host a football training session this evening at Leeside Park in Little Island to help raise money for the family's legal costs.
Funds have also been raised at a table quiz in a local pub and a no-uniform day at Glanmire Community School, which one of the boys attends.
Ms Gül is a member of Hadep, a pro-Kurdish political party which has been banned by the Turkish government because of its links with separatist Kurdish rebels.
She says her husband has disappeared, while she has not had any contact from her brother for several months.
Ms Gül fears her family will face persecution if they are forced to return to Turkey.
The Gül family was informed of its pending deportation at the Garda National Immigration Bureau in Dublin last month.
The family was controversially taken to the Turkish embassy by gardaí.
Mr Stanley strongly objected to the move, but a Garda spokesman said it was for identification purposes and was normal procedure.
