THE Minister for Justice, represented by her counsel, was thanked in the High Court yesterday for expediting the ease of an Algerian man, married to an Irish woman, who had been deported.
It is understood that Mr Madani Haouanoh is to return to the State today. It is also believed that the Department of Justice has issued Mr Haouanoh with the necessary papers to allow him to return.
Mr Peter Finlay, counsel for Mr Haouanoh, told the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Costello, yesterday that he hoped proceedings to have two Garda immigration officers and two officials of the Department of Justice jailed for alleged contempt would not further trouble the court.
Mr Finlay asked that the contempt proceedings be adjourned for two weeks and said he wished to thank the Minister for Justices for expediting the handling of this matter.
Two weeks ago, the High Court granted an order preventing the deportation of Mr Haouanoh who had been detained at Airport on his return from France.
The court was told that Mr Haouanoh had been taken from Dublin to Heathrow and put on an aircraft to Algeria on the same day as the court order. Mr Haouanoh had lived in Dublin since 1991 and married an Irish national in 1993.
Subsequently, an application was made for the committal for contempt of court against the two immigration officers, Garda, Stephen Byrne and Garda J.J. Coakley.
Last Monday, the court was told that Mr Haouanoh had filed an application for a re entry visa last Friday.
The court was also told by Mr Finlay that an application would be made to have two civil servants in the Department of Justice, Mr William O'Dwyer and Mr Brian Ingoldsby, jailed for contempt of court.
It was submitted in their affidavits that they authorised the removal of Mr Haouanoh from the State.
The court was told the State's case was that the man had no visa, no work permit and the marriage was alleged to be a sham. Mr Finlay said the allegation about the marriage was hotly in dispute.