Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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823. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department has conducted a review of identity verification procedures used in deportation and asylum cases, following recent reports of individuals successfully avoiding deportation through the use of aliases. [63773/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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825. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if biometric identification (fingerprint or facial recognition) is currently used to verify identity before deportation; and if not, whether his Department plans to implement such technology to prevent fraudulent alias use. [63775/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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826. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department shares deportation and identity information in real time with An Garda Síochána, the Department of Social Protection and the section of his Department responsible for integration; and if not, the reason such data-sharing has not been automated. [63776/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 823, 825 and 826 together.

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.

The establishment of a person’s identity and nationality is an important feature of our immigration process.

When a person makes an application for international protection, they are photographed and have their fingerprints taken. These fingerprints are then checked against the EURODAC database, an EU-wide immigration database which stores the fingerprints of asylum applicants and those who have crossed borders illegally.

My Department also works closely with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), who are responsible for the enforcement of deportation orders, including with respect to identity verification. I can further advise the Deputy that my Department has a data sharing agreement with the Department of Social Protection. Information on each person issued with a deportation order is shared with the Department of Social Protection prior to the issuance of the order.

I can also advise the Deputy that prior to a deportation, my Department will ensure that biometric checks are conducted with the return country in the absence of identity documents for the person being returned.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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824. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deportation orders issued in each of the past five years; the number actually enforced; and the measures in place to monitor persons who abscond or provide false identities. [63774/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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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 people who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.

In 2024, 934 people left Ireland by way of voluntary return. This year 1,393 people have left Ireland by way of voluntary return up to 14 November 2025, which is an increase of 92% compared to the same period in 2024.

A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. 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 4,206 deportation orders have been signed up to 14 November 2025.

So far in 2025, six charter flight operations have removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations to non-EU destinations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality.

As Ireland does not operate routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to confirm in all instances that a person has departed. A person is only recorded as being deported when their deportation has been enforced by An Garda Síochána or when officials have been provided with evidence that they have left Ireland.

Accordingly, these figures do not take account of individuals whose departure has not been confirmed.

The tables below detail information in relation to deportations in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, up to 14 November 2025.

Table 1. Deportation orders signed from 2020 to 14 November 2025

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

Table 2. Deportation Enforcement 2020 to 14 November 2025

** * During the COVID- 19 Pandemic there was a moratorium on deportations. This was effective during the latter part of 2020, 2021 and for the first 8 months of 2022. During the moratorium only persons who whose presence in Ireland would be contrary to the public interest were deported. This moratorium was lifted in July 2022.

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

1. Otherwise confirmed deportations is where it has been confirmed a person has left the state following receipt of a deportation order without being escorted.

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

While over 300 of the people subject to deportation orders above have confirmed they have left the State independently since 2020, it is the case that a significantly larger number of individuals who were subject to Deportation Orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities.

I am informed that the Garda National Immigration Bureau has reviewed a large sample of cases of persons subject to deportation orders; their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.