The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has welcomed the decision by the Minister for Justice to allow a Nigerian student who was deported to return to Ireland.
Michael McDowell said that the deportation had been wrong.
Olukunle Elukanlo will now be granted a six-month visa to allow him to come back and take his Leaving Certificate examinations.
The news has been broadly welcomed by groups campaigning for his return. Archbishop Martin has added his voice to calls from the Opposition for a review of the Government's deportation policy.
Mr Elukano was sent back to Lagos on a special chartered flight from Dublin last week along with 35 other Nigerians.
This morning, Minister McDowell said he had reflected on the decision overnight and had decided that the Government will issue the Nigerian with the visa to allow him finish his studies. He said this was a one-off decision and would not set a precedent.
Minister's U-turn welcomed
In the Dáil, the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, asked whether Mr McDowell had actually read the deportation order he signed.
The Labour leader, Pat Rabbitte, said he welcomed the minister's U-turn, but added that what was wrong today was surely wrong yesterday.
The Green Party's Ciarán Cuffe said the case was not unique, and he called on the minister to look sympathetically at other cases of young people who were being deported because they reached a certain age.
Speaking to RTÉ News this morning, Mr Elukanlo said he was grateful and happy with the minister's decision. He added that he has not yet decided what to do once his visa expires.
The Assistant Principal of Palmerstown Community School, where Mr Elukanlo is a student, has also welcomed the news.
Anthony Wilkie said staff and students were delighted that the 19-year-old was being given an opportunity to sit his Leaving Certificate.
He also paid tribute to the students who had campaigned for his return.
