A Ghanaian family, who have been living in Direct Provision in Ballyhaunis for eight years, say they are afraid that they may be deported.

Agyueiwaa Owusu and her three children, who are aged 16, 13 and 11, have been given a deportation order, but they've appealed to the High Court on humanitarian grounds.

They have applied for residency, but it has now been turned down three times.

Almost 1,000 asylum seekers have been in direct provision centres for four years or more. There have been 528 applicants in centres for between four years and five; 118 between five years and six and 71 applicants in facilities for between six years and seven while another 116 applicants have lived in centres for seven years or more.

Pat has been speaking to our reporter Barry Whyte....