Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of doorstep operations carried out per month to date in 2025; the number of people refused leave to land per month as a result of those operations; the number of those removed from the State; the number detained pre-removal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60283/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Implementing effective border security arrangements is a priority for me, and the Programme for Government commits to developing a border security strategy to deliver stronger border security ensuring technology supports border screening. This work is underway.

The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department is responsible for frontline Immigration at Dublin Airport only, as such the below figures reflect the position at Dublin Airport. Other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of An Garda Síochána.

The BMU and An Garda Síochána have an ongoing intelligence-led programme of operations at airplanes to detect passengers who destroyed documents inflight and to identify the point of embarkation of undocumented passengers. Last year in 2024, the BMU have carried out over 7,300 doorstep operations at Dublin Airport.

Table 1 details the number of doorstep operations carried out each month so far in 2025, up to 31 October.

Table 1

My Department and An Garda Síochána are working closely with airlines on a range of measures to ensure that passengers have such documentation when boarding. This includes delivering in-person training to relevant airline ground-handling staff on immigration requirements and false travel documentation. BMU officials are available 24/7 to assist airlines with any immigration queries.

When a non-EEA national presents at a border, an Immigration Officer must determine whether that person should be granted leave to land and gain entry to the State. Section 4(3) of the Immigration Act 2004 sets out the full range of grounds on which a person may be refused entry into the State. People can be refused for more than one reason. These include, but are not limited to, people arriving without correct documentation.

The number of people Refused Leave to Land specifically arising from doorstep operations are not recorded separately, but are recorded as part of the overall figures in this regard.

I can advise the Deputy that up to the end of October of this year, 4,038 people have been refused leave to land at Dublin Airport. Table 2 below details the total number of people RLtL for each month so far in 2025, up to 31 October.

Table 2

I can further advise the Deputy that the number of people who presented with no documentation up to the end of October 2025 was 1,707. It is the case that the majority of those who present without appropriate documentation and are refused leave to land then indicate that they wish to enter the international protection process. If a person indicates or is identified as being in need of international protection they are admitted to the international protection process. However, they will still be recorded as having been refused leave to land.

When a person is refused leave to land at Dublin airport, and they have not indicated that they wish to enter the international protection process, the Immigration Officer will arrange for the person to be referred to An Garda Síochána for removal from the State. There is a statutory obligation to return a person refused entry as soon as is practicable.

A person who has been refused entry into the State may be detained for up to 12 hours at a port of entry under Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2003. At Dublin airport the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) have a detention suite airside at Terminal 2 for such detentions. If a return flight cannot be facilitated within 12 hours, individuals may be detained in a Garda station for a maximum period of 24 hours. Where it is anticipated that a detention period will exceed 24 hours, inadmissible passengers can be detained in prison. I can advise you that such detentions rarely exceed 3 days. The number of people that are detained pre-removal are not recorded in the manner requested by the Deputy.