Principal says children distressed after 'two really popular boys' deported
Two brothers who were among 35 people deported from Ireland this week were described as "really popular" and fully integrated into their Dublin primary school.
Principal of St James's Primary School Ciaran Cronin said the boys' mother had an immigration appointment scheduled for next month.
"So, for this to be sprung on them, if they thought that they were awaiting a further appointment with immigration, that's a very cruel way to do things to children," he said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Cronin said other children who lived in the same facility as the boys saw them and their mother being removed ahead of the deportation flight to Nigeria.
"On Wednesday morning they all came to school completely distressed, upset, visibly shaken by what they had seen at the hotel in the morning. And they had watched as the family's stuff was packed up out of their hotel rooms and they were put on to a minibus to be taken away.
"They came to school then to tell us that. That's how we found out what was happening. We had been in touch with the mother for a long time, knowing that they were going through the deportation process. But we were trying to advocate on their behalf, put in character references to say how lovely the children are and how much we want to keep them here in the school.
"But on Wednesday morning, when the children came in, we kind of knew it's the end of the line for them, unfortunately," Mr Cronin said.
He described the brothers as "two really popular boys" with loads of friends.
"They were part of the football team. They played the Cumann na mBunscol GAA tournament the last two years, two really popular boys, had loads of friends and got on really well with everyone and they're just such a huge loss to the school. Such a huge loss," he said.
Mr Cronin said that in March 2022, 32 children living in the Red Cow Hotel were enrolled in the school.
Many were later moved to different accommodations around the country, but 14 were still attending St James's Primary School.
He said that yesterday the teachers explained to the other children that their friends were gone and were not coming back.
"At home time yesterday pupils ran out in tears telling their parents that they're gone. And that's the impact that it's having.
"They've lost their friends, they're looking to see if they have their WhatsApp, if they're online, on their WhatsApp that they can contact them, that kind of stuff, and they haven't been able to make contact with them since.
"So, the children are so upset, but also for the children who are living in the Red Cow, they're all terrified because they think it might be them next."
Mr Cronin said as educators they have been told to "do things in a trauma informed way and be careful how you speak to children who've been through traumatic situations", but said it "just feels that this wasn't handled in that way at all."
He said that changing the system to speed up the process to prevent children being in schools for years before a decision is made will not make the children in his school "feel any better about what's happened to their friends".
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