Galway Deputy Michael D Higgins has hit out at news that a four-year-old boy is being deported from Galway after enrolling in a local primary school, saying that it is "entirely illegal."

Four year old Aidan Britton was threatened with deportation when his mother Erin tried to renew her student visa which had been granted last year for a two-year Masters in Medieval Studies course at NUI Galway.

Due to current immigration laws, international students are not allowed to enroll children in schools that receive any public funding under any circumstances. The state will only renew Aidan's visa and allow him to stay in the country if he swaps to a completely private school, despite the fact that there are none in the area.

But the deportation threat has been slammed by Labour President Higgins, who says it is a clear breach of the Constitution.

"I think that Constitution Article 40.3.1 states that every child has a right to primary education," he said.

The principal of Claddagh National School, where Aidan had been enrolled, agreed with Deputy Higgins comments saying that by refusing Aidan an education the government are violating his human rights.

"In this particular case there are no private primary schools in the area so he cannot attend a school, which is a human rights violation. What I fail to see now is why a child would have to be taken out of school, it is such a break from our traditional stance in relation to the human rights of children, it's just totally unjust, it seems very like David and Goliath except David has no sling," said Mr Forde.

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