Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.

Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. 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. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued and I have increased resources into this programme to enable persons who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.

If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed, and my Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals.

The number of deportation orders signed in 2024 (2,403) increased by 180% compared to 2023 (857). This year 3,583 deportation orders have been signed up to 17 October 2025.

Last year, 1,122 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.), an increase of 252% compared to 2023 (317). This year, 1,652 people have had their departure confirmed through these pathways up to 17 October 2025.

So far in 2025, five charter flight operations have removed 153 people from the State.

Of these, four operations to non-EU destinations removed 130 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality. Further removals will be conducted as the year progresses.

The costs for the provision of the aircraft for these operations has been as follows:

• €102,476 for a one-way flight to Georgia in February.
• €103,751 for a one-way flight to Georgia in May.
• €324,714 for a return flight to Nigeria in June.
• €473,000 for a return flight to Pakistan in September.
• €69,475 for one way flight to Romania*

*The cost for provision of the aircraft for the fifth charter operation is approximately €69,475 for a one-way flight to Romania. The total costs for this operation are not yet available as the invoicing process has not yet been completed.

Costs for the provision of supporting charter flight services such as ground handling services, on-board paramedics and a flight manager have been €73,255 so far in 2025.

Table 1 below shows the costs incurred of charter and commercial flights from 2021 up to 17 October 2025. The figure for commercial flights includes both the flight costs (often through hubs and long-distance) for removal operations completed and also the costs of returning accompanying escorts to Ireland when a one-way charter flight is used.

Table 1: Costs for Charter and Commercial flights in 2021, 2022, 2023 2024 and 2025 (up to 17/10/2025)

	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Charter Flight costs	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	€1,003,942
Commercial Flight costs (enforced returns)	€428,131	€467,289	€494,829	€1,202,750	€1,521,424*

*includes the return of escorts for one way charter operations.

Since 2016 to the end of 2023, my Department was able to reclaim some costs of commercial flights under the European Union’s Asylum Migration and Integration Fund. A new fund opened in 2024 and my Department continues to reclaim funding for commercial flight costs under this EU Fund (for deportation costs only) and will begin to claim for charter costs shortly.

A number of factors impact the costs associated with deportation operations. In particular, the costs for any particular deportation reflect the numbers travelling in each instance, the destination country, and if direct flights are not available the escorts and deportee transit through a hub airport.

In some cases a person may resist deportation and the Garda National Immigration Bureau risk assessment may give rise to the need for additional escorts. Flight costs also can often be impacted by the need to make arrangements to enable escorts to return on the same flight; where, for example, it is necessary for the personal safety of the escorts.

Table 2 sets out the number of removals enforced on commercial airlines from 2021, up to 17 October 2025. During the COVID- 19 Pandemic there was a moratorium on deportations. This impacted the latter part of 2020, 2021 and for the first 8 months of 2022. During the moratorium only people whose presence in Ireland would be contrary to the public interest were deported. This moratorium was lifted in July 2022. Due to the pandemic, travelling incurred additional costs. When deportation orders and other types of removal orders are enforced using commercial airlines, they are normally returning one individual to their country of nationality.

Table 2. Deportations and Removals enforced in 2021, 2022, 2023 2024 and 2025 (up to 17/10/2025)

	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025*
Deportation orders enforced on commercial flights	5	24	51	134	140
Deportation orders enforced on charter flights	0	0	0	0	130
Other removals enforced on commercial flights**	47	40	24	26	25
Other removals enforced on charter flights**	0	0	0	0	23

*(to 17 October 2025)

**Other enforced removals include Dublin III Transfer Orders of International Protection applicants to other EU State and EU Removal Orders for the return of EU Citizen under the Free Movement Regulations (these orders are made on grounds of criminality) and persons who are deemed inadmissible under the International Protection Act.