More mass deportations planned using charters

There will be more mass deportations using "giant charters" as the number of orders increases, the head of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has said.

Chief Supt Martin Donnellan said the use of specially chartered flights potentially carrying more than 200 deportees would become more common as co-operation with other EU states on deportations increased. They were also more cost-effective and a more efficient means of effecting deportations successfully.

Some 2,428 orders were signed by the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, last year although just 590 were implemented by the GNIB. Romanians were the single nationality served with the highest number of orders. They received 566, followed by Nigerians (188), Czechs (121) and Algerians and South Africans (104 each).

Last year the highest number of orders signed was in August, when 442 deportations were ordered, although 414 were signed in December.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice agreed the number of orders being signed was increasing as staff numbers at the Refugee Applications Centre and at the Repatriation Unit in Burgh Quay were steadily increased.

A levy has been put on other Government Departments for more staff who are due to come on board at the Repatriation Unit next month. At the same time the GNIB is being "beefed up" with 35 new staff in Dublin and further staff increases in Cork and along the Border.

This increasing efficacy of the asylum and deportation machine comes as the number of applications for asylum is falling.

Figures from the Department show applications fell by 32 per cent in 2003 compared with the previous year. In 2002 there were 11,634 applications which decreased to 7,939 in 2003.

Chief Supt Donnellan said he expected a move away from sending deportees to their country of origin on scheduled airlines. "It's professional from our point of view and have done it effectively in the past," he said.

EU justice and home affairs ministers at last month's meeting in Dublin committed €30 million immediately to increase co-operation on the return of asylum-seekers to their countries of origin.

The 65 deportees on yesterday's charter were accompanied by 36 gardaí. "That's one garda to every two," said Chief Supt Donnellan. "On conventional airlines there could be at least two gardaí to every one deportee. So it's far more efficient."