Some 155 (6 per cent) of the 2,403 deportation orders signed in 2024 have been enforced or confirmed, according to the Department of Justice, with charter flights to increase enforced removals expected to commence in “early 2025″.
The number of deportation orders signed until December 20th stood at 2,403, an increase of 180 per cent when compared to the same period in 2023 (857), according to new figures from the department.
Among those signed orders, 133 people were removed from the State by way of enforced deportations by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), an increase of 151 per cent when compared to the same period in 2023 (53).
The remaining 22 deportations were “otherwise confirmed”.
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“In addition to the enforced deportations and those that are otherwise confirmed to have left, we know that a much larger number of people will have left the State without being escorted.
“However, as there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to accurately quantify this number,” a spokesman for the department said.
A further 903 people left the State under a voluntary return programme in the same period, up from 213 in 2023.
The programme enables a person to return to the State at a future date if they establish a legal basis for doing so whereas a person who is the subject of a deportation order is legally obliged to leave and cannot enter again in future.
Noting there has been an increase of 324 per cent in the number of voluntary returns when compared to the same period in 2023, the department said alternatives to forced removals, such as through the State’s voluntary return process, are preferable.
“Enforced deportation operations are complex and costly. They often involve investigations, detection, detentions in custody, legal challenges, flight costs and confirmation with the return country that the person is their citizen,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the department confirmed that the use of charter flights for deportations is expected to commence in “early 2025″ after the recent signing of a contract with a service provider.
“These services will significantly increase capacity to conduct more enforced deportations. Alongside this, enforced deportations are continuing on commercial flights and deportations conducted on commercial flights are at a 10-year high,” the spokesman said.
In June, outgoing Minister for Justice Helen McEntee launched a procurement process for charter flights amid “a major increase” in the number of decisions being issued on international protection cases.
“It is now time to increase our capacity to remove people from the State whose applications have been refused and who do not have permission to remain in the State. A charter service will increase our options in this regard,” she said.
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