Archbishop calls for Irish immigrant amnesty
-03/01/05
Dr John Neill, the Church of Ir
Archbishop calls for Irish immigrant amnesty
-03/01/05
Dr John Neill, the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archbishop of Dublin, has used his New Year message to call for a fresh approach to immigration ñ including an amnesty for people who have been in Ireland for more than five years.
Declared Dr Neill: ìMany of these people, here for several years, who certainly now see this as their home, face into the New Year with a deep sense of fear in relation to possible deportation.î
He continued: ìAmong these are a small number of unaccompanied minors, most with little or nothing to which to return. Our thoughts go out to these teenagers who may have been here for three or four years assimilating to Irish society, gaining from our educational system, and [who] now, on reaching 18 years, [are] facing yet another upheaval, being forced to return to something from which they once fled.î
The Most Rev Dr Neill was formerly Bishop of Cashel and Ossory. He was elected Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough in August 2002, and has been outspoken on social issues as well as active ecumenically.
Meanwhile, in a Mass for World Peace conducted in Dublin by leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the congregation was told that it should be the desire of every Irish person to leave political violence behind forever.
The event was attended by President Mary McAleese along with members of the government and diplomats.
Father Enda Lloyd, Episcopal Vicar of the Dublin Catholic Diocese, said that it was ìheartening to see people here in Ireland and on the world stage dedicated to peace, despite setbacks and hardships.î
[Also on Ekklesia: Churches attack Blair over immigration; Howardís ‘false’ anti-immigrant claims defy UN and churches; Christians organise immigration and asylum vigils in run up to election; World churches criticise UK policies on asylum and immigration; Christian MP attacks anti-migrant rhetoric; Methodist add warning over election treatment of asylum issue; Churches call for asylum justice as UK loses on Zimbabwe case]
Archbishop calls for Irish immigrant amnesty
-03/01/05
Dr John Neill, the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archbishop of Dublin, has used his New Year message to call for a fresh approach to immigration – including an amnesty for people who have been in Ireland for more than five years.
Declared Dr Neill: ‘Many of these people, here for several years, who certainly now see this as their home, face into the New Year with a deep sense of fear in relation to possible deportation.’
He continued: ‘Among these are a small number of unaccompanied minors, most with little or nothing to which to return. Our thoughts go out to these teenagers who may have been here for three or four years assimilating to Irish society, gaining from our educational system, and [who] now, on reaching 18 years, [are] facing yet another upheaval, being forced to return to something from which they once fled.’
The Most Rev Dr Neill was formerly Bishop of Cashel and Ossory. He was elected Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough in August 2002, and has been outspoken on social issues as well as active ecumenically.
Meanwhile, in a Mass for World Peace conducted in Dublin by leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the congregation was told that it should be the desire of every Irish person to leave political violence behind forever.
The event was attended by President Mary McAleese along with members of the government and diplomats.
Father Enda Lloyd, Episcopal Vicar of the Dublin Catholic Diocese, said that it was ‘heartening to see people here in Ireland and on the world stage dedicated to peace, despite setbacks and hardships.’
[Also on Ekklesia: Churches attack Blair over immigration; Howard’s ‘false’ anti-immigrant claims defy UN and churches; Christians organise immigration and asylum vigils in run up to election; World churches criticise UK policies on asylum and immigration; Christian MP attacks anti-migrant rhetoric; Methodist add warning over election treatment of asylum issue; Churches call for asylum justice as UK loses on Zimbabwe case]