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Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Families facing deportation are ‘at serious risk of destitution', warns refugee council
Families served with deportation orders in recent months, including women and children, are at 'serious risk of destitution due to a sudden loss of supports', the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has warned. The organisation said it was 'deeply concerned' about the wellbeing of families who had their daily expenses allowance and medical card suddenly withdrawn following the issuance of a deportation order. Those with a right to work also have to cease employment immediately, it said. The warning follows concerns raised by health professionals working with families awaiting deportation from the State who no longer have access to healthcare or financial support. READ MORE 'Through our own services, and reports from partner organisations, people in this situation are in very difficult circumstances and with little or no means to support themselves,' the IRC's chief executive, Nick Henderson, said . 'It is essential to remember that we are talking about human beings – including children – not just numbers or objects to be removed as quickly as possible.' Other European countries continue to offer supports to people in this situation 'to ensure they do not become destitute', he said. A Department of Justice official confirmed a person with a deportation order was no longer entitled to reception conditions. So far this year, 1,816 deportation orders have been signed, while 796 people have left the country, government figures show. Of these 796 people, 81 per cent availed of a voluntary return programme without receiving a deportation order, while 15 per cent were 'enforced deportations' requiring an escort, the Department of Justice said. The number of deportation orders increased by 180 per cent between 2023 and last year, from 857 to 2,403. When a person does not comply with a deportation order, they can be arrested and detained in a designated prison. It is understood arrested adult deportees are now being held in the Citywest Transit Hub before being moved to prisons in advance of departure from the State. The hub is part of the Citywest Hotel complex, which the Government is set to purchase and expand for more asylum seeker housing. It was previously used as an accommodation hub for Ukrainian refugees and more recently accommodated newly arrived international protection applicants, but is now temporarily housing those scheduled for deportation, a source connected to Citywest said. Under the International Protection Act 2015, deportees with signed detention warrants can be detained at a Garda station or designated prison. Under-18s cannot be detained. Asked how many people had been detained in the Citywest Transit Centre in recent months, a department justice official said: 'This is an operational matter'. The Government removal of 71 people on chartered flights in February and May to Tbilisi in Georgia, including seven women and six children, was 'pure theatre' aimed at 'grabbing a headline', immigration lawyer Cathal Malone said. Deporting people on government-chartered flights, rather than commercial flights, could also result in a court ordering the planes to turn around, he warned. 'When you have people on board a state aeroplane, an injunction can be ordered by the Irish courts,' Mr Malone said. 'The Minister for Justice would be in contempt of court if he doesn't do everything in his power to get that plane to turn around. 'When you march someone on to a commercial flight, once that takes off, there's very little that can be done.' In all 48 people, including 12 Georgians and eight Brazilians, have been deported from the State on commercial airlines so far this year. The inclusion of children on the government-chartered deportation flights to Georgia earlier this year also marked a change in policy by the Department of Justice, which previously adhered to an 'unwritten policy' of not deporting families. The department confirmed all children removed from the State on these flights were part of family groups. A briefing note prepared for former minister for justice Helen McEntee dated April last year and released under Freedom of Information request revealed Government officials were concerned 'the department's unwritten policy of not deporting families in recent times' had become a 'pull factor' in attracting more families to Ireland. 'Anecdotally, many [families] are currently sceptical, arising from recent historical Irish deportation operational practice, that they will ever be forcibly removed,' the note said. 'This needs to be addressed.' The briefing note recommended a 'change in tack' and the launch of a pilot scheme providing 'enhanced' supports and incentives for families to return home voluntarily after being served with a deportation order.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Big Brother star diagnosed with ‘silent killer' condition – leaving her ‘crying and screaming'
A FORMER Big Brother contestant has opened up on being diagnosed with a "silent killer" condition that she described as her "personal idea of hell". Harry Amelia Martin, 32, took part in the then-Channel 5 series in 2015 and became one of the series' most talked-about housemates thanks to her romance with co-star Nick Henderson and regularly strolling around the abode topless. 4 4 4 Now, she has told how her life was "ground to a halt" after receiving some unsettling news during a routine echocardiogram. In a lengthy Instagram post, she revealed that it had uncovered a condition she described as a "silent killer" and "one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death." The former model shared a video clip of her throughout various stages of her treatment as she opened up to her fans on what had been going on. Harry Amelia said: "The truth is, during a routine echocardiogram (some subtypes of EDS can affect your heart valves) it uncovered a condition that is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death. "When symptoms are present, they often mimic POTS , but unlike this genetic fault, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndromeis) relatively harmless - just quite exhausting, but it doesn't kill you! "Overnight, my life ground to a complete halt, I was stuck in my own personal idea of hell, which felt like Groundhog Day, day after day doing nothing but the same things." The former reality TV star continued: "I couldn't relax. I couldn't enjoy myself. "I became an anxious mess as I didn't know what symptoms were POTS, & what were this 'silent killer' - responsible for 5–10% of sudden deaths in people under the age of 65, with the average age being just 30 years old. "Naturally, I have lost my s*** Harry style on multiple occasions & probably driven everyone close to me to despair. "There's been a lot of panic attacks, frustrated screaming, crying, bed rotting, & I think I've thrown myself more pity parties in recent months than I have in my whole life - & as you all know, my life has often been quite a colourful ride." Harry, who shares a child with her Big Brother co-star ex, admitted that she was still awaiting further tests and had been aiming to reduce stress at all possible opportunities. The star ended her post by saying: "Hopefully, with the right treatment plan I'll be reborn & flourishing again soon, until then I'm staying positive & grateful for my little life of Hunter, my animals & my chosen family. "That alongside my amazing other half have pulled me out the darkness more times than I care to count over the past few months." Following her brave and emotional post, Harry was inundated with messages of support from her followers. What is POTS? According to the NHS, Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is when "your heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down, often making you feel dizzy or lightheaded." Guidance suggests that it can affect everyone differently, ranging from mild symptoms to those causing an unavoidable impact on everyday life. Some of the symptoms listed by the NHS include: dizziness or lightheadedness noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations) chest pain shortness of breath shaking and sweating fainting or nearly fainting Whilst, more other serious symptoms could include: problems with your stomach or digestion, such as feeling sick, being sick, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and tummy pain headaches and problems with your sight, such as blurred vision or tunnel vision your hands and feet looking purple – this may be more difficult to see if you have brown or black skin weakness and extreme tiredness (fatigue), not being able to do much exercise, and sleeping badly problems with thinking, memory and concentration (brain fog) Source: NHS 4
BBC News
20-02-2025
- BBC News
Cheshire drug dealer who fled to Spain ordered repay £40k
A drug dealing gang member who went on the run in Spain has been ordered to pay back more than £40,000 in illicit Garforth had benefited by over £1,530,000 from his criminal lifestyle and was still in possession of £40,331 worth of assets, Cheshire Constabulary was sentenced to 18 years and eight months in prison in 2024 after admitting conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and transferring prohibited weapons and 32-year-old, who previously lived in Widnes, Cheshire, was arrested in Marbella in 2022 after being on the run for two years. Garforth was called back to Chester Crown Court on 11 February where he was ordered to pay back the sum - which included 50% of the equity in his home and the value of his KTM off-road Ch Insp Nick Henderson, of the serious and organised crime unit, said the confiscation order sent "a strong message that Cheshire Constabulary takes the recovery of the proceeds of crime seriously"."It highlights the importance of asset recovery considerations, running throughout an investigation to maximise the opportunities to recover significant sums, derived from criminality," he said."The financial investigator in this case worked tirelessly to accomplish this result through a tenacious and diligent approach to the investigation, leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of asset recovery." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
