A 61-YEAR-OLD Malaysian Catholic lay missionary who was refused entry to the country was told she could pose a threat to national security or be contrary to public policy, the High Court heard yesterday.
Maria Susei Mary Jeyarani, who was later deported, had been living in Co Roscommon since 2007 when she was detained at Knock Airport on February 9, 2012, following a short trip to the UK to take part in a prayer meeting for a child with heart difficulties.
Ms Jeyarani was arrested at the airport and transferred to the Dochas Centre -- the women's prison at Mountjoy in Dublin. She was deported two days later.
Ms Jeyarani -- who is currently living in Selangor, Malaysia but with an address at Abbey Court, Frenchpark, Co Roscommon -- claims she is entitled to entry as a result of a letter she received from the Irish National Immigration Services on January 4, 2012, stating she had permission to be in the State until January 2013.
Her lawyers told the court that there were no proper reasons why their client could pose a threat to national security or be contrary to public policy -- and that her removal from the State was unlawful.
It was also claimed that the actions of the State have breached of her Constitutional and human rights and amount to a disproportionate interference with her liberty.
In proceedings against the Justice Minister and the Attorney General, Ms Jeyarani is seeking orders quashing both the State's refusal to allow her permission to enter the country and the subsequent decision to deport her.
She is also seeking an order directing the respondents to issue her with a visa allowing her entry to the State.
Urgency
She is further seeking a declaration that her arrest and detention at Dochas were unlawful and that she continues to be entitled to be in the State.
Permission to bring her action was granted yesterday, on an ex-parte basis by Mr Justice Gerard Hogan.
The judge, who said that he was mindful that he had only heard one side of the case, remarked that what was being alleged was that the State has acted in a manner that was "manifestly unlawful".
The matter, which he said required some urgency, was adjourned to a date later this month.