Fine Gael National Press Office Press Release

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FG statement on visit of Pamela Izevbekhai to Dáil Éireann

Joint statement by Alan Shatter TD, Fine Gael Spokesperson for Children and Denis Naughten TD, Fine Gael Spokesperson on Immigration & Integration on the occasion of the visit to Leinster House by Pamela Izevbekhai at their invitation

Pamela Izevbekhai came to Ireland in early 2005 from Nigeria with her two children, Naomi (7) and Jemima (6) because she feared that the children would be forced by her husband's relations to undergo a form of female circumcision now widely recognised as Female Genital Mutilation. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a barbaric practice that should not be acceptable in any society.

In 1994 her daughter Elizabeth died as a result of this barbaric procedure which occurred as a consequence of pressure imposed on her by her mother in-law and other in-laws. Pamela fears her daughters Naomi and Jemima could suffer a similar fate.

For most of their time in Ireland Pamela and her two children have lived in Sligo and the children have attended Our Lady of Mercy Primary School in Sligo.

Pamela has been unsuccessful in her application for refugee status and is hopeful that the Minister for Justice will use his discretionary powers to allow her and the children remain in Ireland. If the European Court of Human Rights had not recently requested the Government to delay her deportation with the children back to Nigeria, pending determining whether it will admit an application to the Court made by her under the Human Rights Convention, Pamela and her two daughters could have been deported last week.

This afternoon Pamela is telling her story and sharing her fears and concerns with members of the Oireachtas from all parties and independent Deputies and Senators.

Because of the death of her daughter, Elizabeth, Pamela believes that she has a special case to remain in Ireland and has genuine concerns that, if returned to Nigeria, Naomi or Jemima could suffer a similar fate.

Though Pamela and her children have not been granted refugee status, the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern TD has discretion to make an order allowing her and the children to stay in Ireland. We believe in the context of Pamela's family history, and in light of the death of Pamela's daughter, Elizabeth, as a consequence of this barbaric practice, that her case should be again reviewed by the Minister.

At this time of year, we believe it right and appropriate that the Minister for Justice and the Government take an initiative and apply basic humanitarian principles to Pamela's request to be granted the protection of residing in Ireland. Such decision should not depend on legal technicalities or on the outcome of an application made to the European Court in Strasbourg.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a major problem across the world. The World Health Organisation estimates that approximately two million girls each year are the victims of this practice. We recognise that this State could not cope with the influx of thousands of applicants seeking political asylum in Ireland for fear that their daughters could be subjected to this practice. We believe, however, the Government should take a more pro-active role in opposing this practice and should take an initiative to seek a united approach on behalf of the European Union to bring it to an end.

In Nigeria FGM is unlawful, but the reality is that the laws are not implemented and the police turn a blind eye to the practice. We believe that the Government should formally meet with the Nigerian Ambassador and make it clear that we unequivocally condemn this practice and ask that the Nigerian Government take all necessary steps to fully implement laws in Nigeria which render it unlawful.

There is a growing problem across Europe resulting from some families in immigrant communities arranging for daughters to be circumcised and suffer FGM with the practice occurring in a location other than the State in which they are resident. We do not believe our own domestic laws comprehensively criminalise this practice. The Government has already said it is considering the enactment of new laws in this area. We are asking that the necessary legislation be prioritised and be brought before the Dáil for enactment without further delay.