Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of occasions since June 2002 on which aircraft have been chartered to facilitate the deportation of persons from this country; the total cost involved in such charters; the number of persons deported in this way and the number who were children; the total overall costs involved, including Garda man hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4943/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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From January 2002 to the end of December 2004, 12 charter flights were engaged for the purpose of deportation of persons illegally residing in the State. A total of 341 persons were deported in this way at a total cost of €1,363,201. Details of these charter flights, that is, dates, destinations, numbers deported — broken down into adults and minors in so far as this information is available — and individual costs are as shown in the table that will be circulated to Members.

The costs include Garda expenses associated with these removal operations. I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that, given the wide range of immigration duties performed by the Garda Síochána and the Garda national immigration bureau, in particular, it is not possible to identify the pay and overtime costs incurred by the Garda on these charter flights. However, the commissioner informs me that charter flights involve a lower ratio of Garda escorts to deportees than is the case using conventional schedule flights, resulting in savings to the Garda budget.

There are two main categories of repatriation charter flights. Smaller charters that are organised to remove disruptive deportees that commercial airlines will not take on account of previous disruptive behaviour on board aircraft and bigger charters organised to return larger numbers of deportees in a more efficient way than using scheduled flights. Ireland does not have direct flights to the destinations where these charters have taken place, for example, Romania and Nigeria. The alternative to chartering is transiting through hub European airports involving longer transfer times, more inconvenience to deportees and the attendant risk of deportees absconding in transit.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Minister did not mention the number of deportees who were children. Perhaps he will give that figure. The figures I was given previously for 2004 showed that people had been deported to three countries. A total of 181 were deported to Romania in 2004. Romania is likely to become a member state of the European Union in 2007 so the major emphasis on that country seems strange, given that the majority of people coming to this country do not come from Romania. The second category was Nigeria, with 54 deportees, and the last category was Gambia, with one deportee. The charter to Gambia cost €50,000. Will the Minister comment on those figures? What is the procedure at present with regard to countries that are likely to become member states of the European Union within a few years?

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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A total of 341 persons were deported, of whom 20 were children.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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What about Irish born children?

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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On a handful of occasions, parents who were deported brought their Irish born children with them.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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That is a disgrace.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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There is nothing disgraceful about that.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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It is a disgrace, rounding up families like that.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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If it is a disgrace, it is a disgrace that is common to all Europe.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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There are 6,000 illegal Irish in America.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I do not see the Deputy's point.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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It is an over-reaction.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am satisfied that for the proper and effective conduct of our immigration law it must be understood by people who illegally come to Ireland and attempt to remain here that the State will deport them. If we had a system under which I decided it was not worth a candle to send them home, the result would be catastrophic. More and more people would come to Ireland, effectively challenging the Government to send them home.

The credibility of our immigration system requires deportation. The great majority of Irish people, as opposed to a small claque in the House, support my position.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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They supported your racist referendum as well.