Eamon Ryan, Green Party Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, last week wrote to Brian Lenihan asking that he review the deportation order against Great Agbonlahor and his family.

Lenihan, who has received "a number of representations" from various people, has indicated previously that he sees no basis for revoking the deportation orders.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said: "The minister has spoken publicly about this case and his position remains unchanged." The letter was received by fax at the Department of Justice on Friday evening.

A spokesman for Ryan said he wrote to his government colleague asking him to "review" the case after he was approached by several concerned constituents.

Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Olivia Agbonlahor said she was "extremely worried" that her family would be deported on Tuesday, when they must report at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) at Dublin's Burgh Quay.

"It breaks my heart to have to go there, it upsets me so much. I feel helpless and worried for the kids, " she said.

The Agbonlahor family were last month granted a four-week reprieve to allow them to receive vaccinations before returning to Nigeria. Last week they were moved from their home in Killarney, Co Kerry, to Dublin and on Tuesday presented at GNIB as ordered.

"Last week I was so worried and upset I just felt sick. We were afraid they would take us away and bring us to the airport. The move to Dublin has been very hard for Great. It has been challenging because of his condition. He's not used to change and has been acting out because of the move. If his behaviour changes so much with a move from Kerry to Dublin I am very worried about how he would cope in Nigeria."

Agbonlahor added that she was "so grateful" to Ryan for attempting to intervene in her case and said she was overwhelmed by the support she had received in Ireland.

"The only thing that keeps me going is all the support. The people of Ireland have made us feel at home.

Every day for me is emotional but, no matter what happens, I met the nicest and kindest people in the world here in Ireland."

She added that she fears her son would be treated as an outcast in Nigeria and his life would be in danger. This would also affect his twin sister, Melissa.

"Great has been coming on so much in the last year in school. To send us back would be the end of all our lives and undo all the effort that people have made to help him. Great and Melissa have never been to Nigeria. Ireland is the only home they know."

Town councillors in Clonakilty, Co Cork, where the Agbonlahor family previously lived, last week passed a motion calling on Lenihan to allow a moratorium of two years on the deportation order. This would permit the six-year-old to avail of treatment for his autism.

Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism said there was "real concerns" the family could be deported on Tuesday.

"But the hundreds of people who support this wonderful family will continue to fight their deportation, " she added.