The District Court granted an interim care order to the Child and Family Agency (CFA) for a young person who had arrived in the jurisdiction unaccompanied. The CFA social worker told the court the young person had arrived in the jurisdiction unaccompanied to avoid a marriage to an older relative. She did not have any other information as to the method by which the young person had arrived, only that she had received a call from an international protection officer at an Irish port.
The young person had had a full medical examination and was in good general health. She was settled in a residential placement and had developed friendships. She was lively, eating and sleeping well and looked happy. She was attending a bridging school and it was hoped would be ready for mainstream school at the start of the new academic year. She said she had started to make an application for international protection, but was very reluctant to talk about her experiences.
The social worker was satisfied the girl was under the age of 18 and had no legal guardian in the state.
The judge granted an interim care order and appointed a guardian ad litem (GAL).
