AROUND 120 PEOPLE have been subject to enforced deportations so far this year, including almost 50 people on commercial flights.

When a person does not comply with a deportation order they can be arrested and detained to ensure their deportation.

The Department of Justice previously said carries out enforced removals as a “last resort” when a person does not remove themselves from the State.

As of 23 May, there have been 119 enforced deportations and the majority of these involved periods of detention prior to removal.

Most people have been detained in Cloverhill Remand Prison or the Dóchas Centre, though people have also been detained in the Cork, Limerick and Midlands prison.

Some 48 were removed on commercial flights, while two charter flights have deported a further 71 people who were subject to deportation orders.

The first charter flight took place at the end of February and involved the deportation of 28 men, three women, and a child who was on the flight with their mother and father.

The second of these flights was chartered at the beginning of the month and saw 39 people deported to Georgia.

This group included 30 men, four women and five children, and each of the five children were part of family groups.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said that any children who have been subject to enforced deportations were part of family groups and were not detained.

He said further charter operations and removals on commercial aircraft will be conducted throughout the year.

O’Callaghan added that the enforcement of deportation orders, and the detention of people prior to their removal, is an “operational matter” for the Garda National Immigration Bureau.

Elsewhere, O’Callaghan said that 20 people have verified with the Justice Department that they have left the State following a deportation order being issued against them so far this year.

The figures were released in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on migration.

Deportation Orders

Deportation orders are legal orders to leave the country and can be issued for a number of reasons.

For example, a person may have come to Ireland on a valid visa but no longer has permission to be in the country, in which case they have no legal right to remain.

An individual may also be deported if they’ve committed a serious criminal offence, particularly something that involves extreme violence or drugs.

O’Callaghan said “aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively”.

He remarked that his Department has taken action to “significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals”.

As of 23 May, some 1,816 deportation orders have been signed.

In 2023, 857 deportation orders were signed but this increased by some 180% to 2,403 last year.

In releasing the figures, O’Callaghan said he is “fully committed to ensuring Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based”.

As well as an increase in deportation orders last year, there was a huge increase in the number of people who departed Ireland under various mechanisms, such as voluntary return.

Last year, 1,116 people departed from Ireland under mechanisms such as enforced deportation and voluntary return, an increase of 252% when compared to the 317 figure in 2023.

As of 23 May, O’Callaghan said 796 persons have “had their departure confirmed through these pathways”.

“It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily,” said O’Callaghan, “and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order.

“It is important to note that a person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued,” he added.