IPAS relocation row as family in Leitrim fights to let child finish school term

A Nigerian family who have been living in north Leitrim for the past year have been issued with a notice to relocate to Athlone, potentially forcing their young son to leave his classmates and miss the final week of Junior Infants.

Olusegun Ifade, known as Segun, and his family moved into the IPAS centre in Dromahair when it opened just over a year ago. Segun lives there with his wife and two small children, one of whom is due to finish Junior Infants at a local national school in just one week.

Raising the issue in the Seanad, Senator Nessa Cosgrove said, “He could have focused his attentions on his own family, but was determined to contribute positively to the life of his new community.”

She noted Segun’s involvement in a wide range of local initiatives: he is an adult supervisor at the Foróige club he helped establish, he helped organise a food stall at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and he has written a fortnightly column for the Sligo Weekender.

“Segun, without seeking to, became a leader in his new community,” Senator Cosgrove said.

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However, tensions arose within the IPAS centre, where space is often limited and living conditions cramped. 

Segun alleges that during a dispute between families, his wife was assaulted. He claims that when the other party brought the issue to management, they sided with the complainant and, as a consequence, his family was moved to a room in the basement of the centre.

He further alleges that after continuing to advocate for his right to be heard, he was served with a notice to relocate the entire family to an IPAS centre in Athlone.

The move was originally scheduled for May 30, but representations from Senator Cosgrove and other local public representatives led to delays, first to June 5 and then to June 13.

“All that Segun wants now is for his older son to be allowed to complete one more week of his first year in education, and to celebrate his sixth birthday, along with his friends in Junior Infants,” said Senator Cosgrove.

“I was given to understand that while responsible for IPAS, Minister Norma Foley secured a commitment that no child should be transferred against the family’s wishes during the course of the school year,” she continued.

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“I, along with the 4 local TDs, particularly Martin Kenny, have been lobbying the Department of Justice tirelessly to allow the family to reach this small, yet impactful objective,” she added, noting that Leitrim County Councillor Eddie Mitchell has also made representations on behalf of the family.

Senator Cosgrove described the situation as one of natural justice, fairness, and child welfare. 

She said she had not wanted to raise the issue publicly due to its sensitive and potentially divisive nature, but felt compelled to do so due to the Department’s lack of engagement.

She stated that the absence of dialogue from IPAS officials has led her to question the level of transparency and accountability in the system.

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Because of this, and what she describes as credible concerns that Segun’s allegations have not been properly investigated, Senator Cosgrove said she intends to raise the matter directly with the Minister for Justice.

“However, for now, I am publicly imploring the Minister for Justice to put a halt to this family’s relocation for one more week to allow a child to successfully complete his first year in our education system,” she concluded.