Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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300. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a repatriation agreement remains in place between Ireland and Nigeria; if not, when the agreement ended; the number of persons repatriated under the agreement since it came into effect; the total costs incurred for repatriation of these individuals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27159/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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A bilateral agreement on Immigration Matters was put in place in 2001 between the Irish Government and the Federal Republic of Nigeria to establish a formal framework for readmissions and related immigration matters. While the agreement was never officially ratified by Nigeria, Ireland receives good cooperation from the Nigerian authorities on readmission of their citizens and both States operate in the spirit of the agreement.

Since 2011, 807 Nigerian citizens who have been refused permission to remain in the State have left the state under various mechanisms. A total of 96 people left the state under a voluntary return scheme while a total of 711 people left following the issuing of a Deportation Order.

Over 400 of these individuals were confirmed as having left the state when issued with the deportation order and no costs were incurred by my Department while approximately 300 people were the subject of enforced deportations.

A detailed breakdown of the cost of each deportation is not available.

I can advise the Deputy that while an average deportation flight to Nigeria would currently cost in the region of €1,600 per person, there are also significant costs associated with the Garda National Immigration Bureau who provide the necessary security escorts for such removals. Therefore the total costs vary depending on the operational complexities and any security or welfare considerations of a particular operation. There were four enforced deportations to Nigeria since January 2023 and the average total cost of each of these operations amounted to €21,912 per case.

I am taking a number of actions to improve immigration enforcement, including around the enforcement of deportation orders. My Department are taking over the immigration registration from An Garda Síochána which will free up 100 Gardaí for other immigration enforcement work, including deportation orders. My Department has also recently commenced the tender process for a charter airplane service which would be able to return persons who have had their international protection application rejected.