A family of failed asylum-seekers who have gone into hiding in a bid to evade deportation to their native Kosovo have sought to have their case re-examined.
Lawyers for widow Ms Florinda Sylaj (36) and her two young daughters Eni (5) and Eda (4) have written afresh to the Minister for Justice asking him to reconsider their claim to remain here as refugees. In the letter to Mr McDowell, the family's solicitor said there was new information about Ms Sylaj's fear of persecution. To be granted permission to live in Ireland permanently as a refugee, applicants must show that they are fleeing persecution.
The letter states that Ms Sylaj, a Catholic, was "subjected to a sustained and savage campaign of mistreatment, including regular beatings and violence against her" by her late Muslim husband's family, which left her with scars.
She and her children were effectively imprisoned by her husband's family, it adds. Ms Sylaj's husband, who disappeared during the Kosovo war, has recently been confirmed as dead.
The letter says Ms Sylaj was not able to disclose this information while her refugee claim was being processed, but eventually confided it to a friend. It notes that her interview for refugee status and subsequent appeal were conducted by males, and she also had a male interpreter.
The solicitor also seeks to have the children's applications for refugee status considered separately from their mother's. Their case should be considered in light of the new information about their treatment at the hands of their father's family as well as the changed circumstances arising out of the death of their father, the letter states.
The family's legal team is also considering going to the High Court this week to seek leave for judicial review proceedings. Ms Sylaj withdrew her children from school several weeks ago when they went into hiding. This followed an attempt by gardaí to deport the family on October 8th.
In the first nine months of the year, 2,127 deportation orders were signed and 493 people have been deported compared with 365 for the same period last year.