Irish Government deny children access to father Please Act Now!

national | crime and justice | press release Monday December 01, 2008 21:37 by Noel Maguire - Friends of Noel Maguire friendsofnoelmaguire at live dot com

He has not seen his children in 9 Years

We are drawing the media’s attention to the fact that the Irish Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern has once again denied an Irish citizen the ability to return home to serve his sentence in an Irish Jail which is allowed for under a European directive. All the information is available on our website: http://friendsofnoelmaguire.webnode.com/

Last week we sent emails to each and every TD in the Dail drawing their attention to Noels case and asking them to intervene to bring Noel home, We have had a lot of favorable results a few members have tabled parliamentary questions to Minister For Justice regarding Ministerial action in this case. We have followed up on the responses by email and phone; we thank our members and friends who wrote on Noels behalf.

Last week Noel was visited by embassy official Tony McCullagh, McCullagh told Noel the Justice Ministry were not likely to repatriate him because he is separated from Sharon (His Wife) she is not considered to be his next of kin - and as both his children are under eighteen she is looked on as their custodian. This is an absurd viewpoint and seems to now strip Noel of his fatherhood as well as his rights as an Irish citizen to be moved closer to his family, we will be contacting Fathers Rights groups and seek their help in challenging this view held by the Irish Government.

But what it does mean now is Noel is not likely to see his two children until he is eventually released - and that's years away why are the children being punished by this persistant refusal to repatriate Noel to within easy visiting distance of them.

It is a sad reflection on a Government that have lost any sense of doing the right thing as the humane and morally correct decision would be think of Noels children and not punish them. His children have a father; the Minister is standing in the way of allowing any relationship to be built and his reasoning is flawed.

This week we are targeting the Media who are conspicuous in their absence on Noels case despite the humanitarian aspect of the case, a father who is being denied the opportunity to be closer to his children and not having seen them for 9 years. We have sent the following to every media outlet we were able to find in Ireland, Europe, US, Canada and Australia, we ask that our members and friends write their own letters to their local papers pointing out the facts of Noels case.

We are also putting out Noels story and the facts on the case to Indy media around the world. Please take a few moments to write to your local media and express disgust at the way he is being treated.

Need help with this or any questions please contact friendsofnoelmaguire@live.com
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TO MEDIA

We are drawing the media’s attention to the fact that the Irish Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern has once again denied an Irish citizen the ability to return home to serve his sentence in an Irish Jail which is allowed for under a European directive. The friends of Noel Maguire are a group of concerned people who have came together to right this wrong. Noel is being denied repatriation on the basis of a lie, that being he has closer ties to the Britain than to Ireland. Noel’s immediate kin live in Carlow. All the information is available on our website: http://friendsofnoelmaguire.webnode.com/

Last week, our members and supporters wrote to each and every TD of the 30th Dail asking them to intervene in Noel Maguire's case - if not for Noel, then for the sake of his children who have not seen their father in over 9 years. We have received some favorable responses. This is a humanitarian story - the politics are of little or no relevance. It is about allowing an Irish citizen the opportunity to return to Ireland and attempt to build a relationship with his children. Please allow us to address your readers with the following letter.

Yours Sincerely,

Friends of Noel Maguire

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Dear Editor:

Through your paper, may we draw your reader’s attention to the case of Noel Maguire? Noel Maguire has been refused again for repatriation (The ability to be repatriated to the country of your citizenship to serve a prison sentence on humanitarian grounds as laid down by the European Directive). He has been fighting to be returned home for over 5 years; all his co-accused have already been repatriated to Ireland.

The Irish authorities claim wrongly that Noel has closer ties to the United Kingdom than to an Irish jurisdiction despite Noel’s having a wife, and a son and daughter, living in County Carlow. This is Noel’s immediate kith and kin.

The lack of compassion shown by the Minister responsible in refusing Noel’s request to be closer to his wife and 2 children is disconcerting and very cavalier. For a Minister elected to look out for the well being of all Irish citizens, in this case he has abandoned the opportunity to reunite a family and allow them some chance at rebuilding their lives, as is the purpose of the European Repatriation directive.

Noel should be repatriated on the following grounds:

He is an Irish citizen and holds a current Irish passport, issued in Dublin.

He easily qualifies for repatriation under the European directive, which allows prisoners to be moved back to their own country to serve their sentence closer to their family for purely humanitarian reasons.

There was an attempt to murder Noel in 2006 in which he received serious knife wounds. If left alone and isolated his life would be constantly under threat! His physical and mental well being is in jeopardy if the Irish Government refuses him the right to be brought home to serve his sentence in an Irish Jail.

He has not seen his children in 9 years.

Friends of Noel Maguire

24 Queens Square

Hemel Hempstead

HP2 4NU

ENGLAND. TEL: 00 44 1442 244104.

US TEL: 414-378-2384