THIS YEAR WILL see the largest number of people deported from the State in over 20 years, according to the Department of Justice.

So far this year 351 people have been deported on both chartered and commercial flights – with the majority removed via chartered flight.

Last night, 52 people from Georgia, including seven children, were deported on a chartered  flight – the sixth deportation operation using this kind of flight this year. 

The flight was provided by Air Partner Ltd at a cost of €187,625.00 for a return trip.

Minister for Migration Colm Brophy previously said in a written Dáil answer that a one-way flight to Georgia cost €102,476 in February and €103,751 in May.

An Garda Síochána shared images of last night's deportation on social media. An Garda Síochána An Garda Síochána

In a statement today Brophy said: “Charter operations are used as a last resort, but are a key aspect of our removals process and play an important part in removing people from the State who do not have a legal right to be here.”

“Charter flights provide an alternative to commercial flights and can be more appropriate in circumstances when a group of people are being removed to the same destination.”

The people on last night’s flight were accompanied on the flight by Gardai, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer.

The government was previously criticised for not ensuring an independent human rights observer was on board a chartered flight to Nigeria in June.

At the time Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon accused the government of “skipping independent scrutiny” in favour of “theatre” by allowing the flight to make its journey without a monitor on board.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said that 3,870 deportation orders have been signed so far this year. Last year 2,403 were signed. 

In a statement today he said: “Deportations play an essential role to ensure that our immigration system is not undermined, and that people follow the pathways already in place for legal migration.”

“This is the sixth charter operation so far in 2025 and deportations and removals will continue for the remainder of the year.”