The solicitor for a 17-year-old pregnant non-national being held on remand in Limerick prison yesterday has expressed concern for her welfare and is seeking counsel to see if he can have her released under a High Court order.
The girl, who is Malaysian-Chinese, was arrested in Killarney, Co Kerry, with 12 others early on Tuesday morning, as part of Operation Hyphen, a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants. "We are very concerned for her welfare," Mr Conor Murphy, her solicitor said.
She was four months pregnant and would not be 18 until December, he explained. Her partner remained in Killarney, and she had no relatives in the country. Mr Murphy was seeking legal counsel on an application for habeas corpus.
Eight of the 13 non-nationals arrested in the course of Operation Hyphen in Killarney are being held in custody in Limerick Prison following an order at Tralee District Court on Wednesday.
The eight, five Chinese and three Malaysians, face various charges under Section 6 of the Aliens Act as amended by the Immigration Act of 1999.
Among the charges the individuals face are failing to have the correct documentation and to have permission to remain in the country; failing to register with immigration officers at the point of entry; and failing to leave. All eight were arrested at the same address in Killarney.
Judge Leo Malone remanded them to Limerick prison to appear again on July 31st in Tralee District Court. Free legal aid was granted. Only one, the 17-year- old, speaks English. The rest speak Mandarin Chinese.
Representatives from the development organisation for refugees and asylum-seekers, Doras Luimní, also expressed concern, and were due to visit the eight in prison last night.
Father Bobby Gilmore, director of the Migrant Information Centre, was critical of Operation Hyphen.
"How would the Irish establishment feel if the governor of New York sent out 300 police to chase down the Irish illegals there?" he asked.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party's spokesman on justice, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said there was a "fundamental hypocrisy" at the heart of government policy on immigration. One government department admitted more than 32,000 non-nationals to work last year while on the other hand some 500 gardaí were diverted to raids to pick up a handful of evaders, he said.
"Now that a grateful nation can sleep easy in their beds confident that foreign mushroom pickers are being hunted down, is there any chance that Justice Minister McDowell and Garda Commissioner Byrne might turn their formidable intellects to catching some real criminals?"