Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number and estimated cost per child of deporting children from the State, in each of the past five years, to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24605/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It is a central priority for me that our immigration laws are robust and enforced. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that our people have confidence in the application of our laws in this area.

My Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals. A charter service for large scale deportation flights is now in place and two flights to Georgia have taken place so far this year, on 27 February 2025 and 30 April 2025. These operations resulted in the removal of 71 persons (58 men, 7 women, 6 children). The children removed were part of family groups and were not detained in advance of their removal.

The cost for an enforced deportation is not determined by the age of the person being removed, but reflects the numbers travelling, the destination and the availability of flights. Children, irrespective of whether they are removed by charter or commercial aircraft, are always removed in the company of their parents or guardians and therefore, it is not possible identify the cost of removal per child compared to an adult.

Flight costs are often impacted by the need for escorts to travel with people being deported. For removals on commercial airlines, only certain airport hubs allow deportations to be conducted which impacts on routes available and consequently the costs incurred. For removals by charter, costs include hiring the aircraft, ground handling services, on-board paramedics, catering and a human rights observer.

A final significant contributor to higher than average costs are the additional costs incurred where flights have to be cancelled and rebooked at short notice, due to last minute legal or logistical issues.

The below table sets out the costs of enforcing Deportations and Removals from 2021, up to 09 May 2025.

**Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.

It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. When a person avails of a ‘Voluntary Return’ they are not issued with a deportation order. The individual can make their own arrangements to leave or can be assisted by my Department or the UN International Organisation for Migration, which my Department funds for these purposes. In both circumstances, returns under this category are directly verified and confirmed by the Department.

Individuals who leave by way of Voluntary Return are separate to those who have their departure confirmed after a deportation order is made against them. A deportation order is issued after the person is offered but does not avail of voluntary return.