After seven wonerful years together, Bernadette D Arcy and Benjamin Akhile are facing forced separation on Thursday due to an order of deportation.
Ben, who is from Sierra Leone, has lived in Ireland for 14 years. He and Bernie, who live together in Wicklow town, now face the prospect of saying goodbye on Thursday after Ben received a letter instructing him to present for deportation. I m devastated, said Bernie, a native of Gorey who works at SuperValu in Greystones. She is pleading with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to intervene and allow Ben to stay at home with her.
So far, 21,000 people have signed a petition on uplift.ie entitled Save Ben from deportation after living in Ireland for 14 years .