OVER 40 PEOPLE were today deported to Georgia after a deportation order, with the chartered flight costing over €225,000, excluding VAT.

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan this evening confirmed the completion of the deportation order to Georgia.

A Justice Department spokesperson said deportation orders were enforced against 43 Georgian nationals, 33 of whom were adult males and seven of whom were adult women.

Among the returnees was one family group, of which three were children.

The flight departed Dublin Airport at 1.50pm today, and landed in Tbilisi, Georgia at 6.40 (Irish time). 

Speaking after the operation, O’Callaghan said: “Deportations play an essential role in ensuring our immigration system is not undermined and that people follow the pathways already in place for legal migration.

“They are also an important mechanism to provide the public with confidence that our systems are rules-based and robust.”

This is the sixth charter deportation operation so far this year and O’Callaghan thanked gardaí for their “continued work in conducting these complex and sensitive operations”.

“I also want to acknowledge that the vast majority of Georgian nationals are legally resident in the State and positively contribute to Irish society,” said O’Callaghan.

He added: “The government has a voluntary return programme available for people who have no legal status, or who have had their international protection application withdrawn or refused.

“This is the preferred option, and people can only avail of this prior to the issuance of a deportation order.”

Meanwhile, minister of State for migration Colm Brophy remarked that “deportation operations are complex for all those involved but an important and necessary part of our immigration and asylum procedures”.

The returnees were accompanied on the flight by garda members, medical staff, an interpreter, as well as an independent human rights observer.

A spokesperson for the department said that further charter deportation operations will be conducted over the rest of the year.

The department also confirmed that the cost of chartering the aircraft was €225,575 (ex VAT) for a return flight.

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.