An Irish couple who have lived in Australia for almost a decade are due to be deported in the coming weeks because of the cost of their three-year-old son's medication.
The Australian Government has determined the $300,000-a-year cystic fibrosis drugs for Darragh Hyde, who was born in Australia, are a burden on the taxpayer.
Parents Christine and Anthony, who moved to Seymour in central Victoria in 2009, are now pleading with authorities to stay in the country they consider to be their home. The family's visa ends on June 18.
'Darragh's never lived anywhere else but here. We haven't been in Ireland, probably seven years ago.'
The couple, from Dublin, applied for permanent residency in August 2015, weeks before they welcomed Darragh into the world.
But the application for residency was denied by the Australian Department of Home Affairs who assessed Darragh's diagnosis as burden on the Australian community.
Christine said the cystic fibrosis medication has done 'wonders' for her son and she's extremely grateful for his 'fantastic' health.
'He had his normal checkup yesterday and they're extremely happy with him, he's travelling well,' she said.
'We've been very lucky, Darragh has never had any hospital admissions or any major things really, other than this diagnosis.
Couple face deportation after son’s drugs deemed burden on taxpayer
Parents Christine and Anthony, who moved to Seymour in central Victoria in 2009, are pleading with authorities to stay in the country they consider to be their home.
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