40 children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster are spending Christmas in Ireland.
They arrived into Dublin Airport this evening and were greeted by host families from around the country.
All have special needs and most live in state run orphanages in Belarus.
Excitement building at Dublin Airport where 40 children affected by the Chernobyl disaster are due any minute. pic.twitter.com/GNgmZPtwXX
— Kevin Purcell (@KevinPurcell_) December 18, 2018
Adi Roche is head of Chernobyl Children International:
"These children have no other family," she said.
"They don't have Mums and Dads, aunts and uncles or brothers and sisters because they live incarcerated in an environment where they are segregated from society in an institution.
"They're only sense of what it's like to be loved by another human being is when they come to Ireland."
And they're here! @Chernobyl pic.twitter.com/KqvAHvDGFv
— Kevin Purcell (@KevinPurcell_) December 18, 2018
