Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2025
588. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of deportation orders issued to individuals under the age of 18 in 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025; for a breakdown of the total number, by individual year of age, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32027/25]
View answer589. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals under the age of 18 who are currently in the State and subject to a deportation order, with a breakdown by individual year of age, and the average length of time since arrival in Ireland for each age group, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/25]
View answer590. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the top five countries of origin of children who have been issued deportation orders in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 588, 589 and 590 together.
I can assure the Deputy, that my officials aim to process families in a holistic manner and the consideration of a child’s immigration case is highly dependent on the status of their parents. Each child’s circumstances are examined in detail before a deportation order is made. If deportation orders are made against a family, the parents are informed of this and are required to engage with Gardaí to make arrangements to leave Ireland.
I recognise that an enforced removal is an unfortunate and challenging experience for a child, which is why they are carried out only as a measure of last resort when the family concerned has not removed themselves from the State. I can advise the Deputy that children have only been returned as part of family units. The children and their mothers were not detained in advance of their removal.
The preferred option is to return people voluntarily and my Department operates a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. This programme offers families a reintegration grant to help them resettle in their home countries.
People are strongly encouraged to avail of this option, and are informed of this option at each stage of the International Protection process.
I can advise the Deputy, that the length of time a child has been residing in Ireland is given careful consideration before a deportation order is made. However, this information is not recorded in a manner which allows for the extraction of the average time a child was present in Ireland before a deportation order was made against them. While a child’s known or reported date of entry is recorded on their individual records, establishing an average time would require a manual examination of each individual’s record. Such an examination would be voluminous in nature, require a significant amount of staff time and resources and could not be warranted.
The table below details number of deportation orders issued against children under the age of 18 in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 (up to 31 May 2025).
|
Year |
Number of Deportation Orders issued Aged 0-13 |
Number of Deportation Orders issued Aged 14-17 |
|
2022 |
2 |
1 |
|
2023 |
22 |
5 |
|
2024 |
161 |
30 |
|
2025*. |
148 |
49 |
|
Total |
333 |
85 |
*31/05/2025.
*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
As there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to accurately provided the number of children who are currently in Ireland subject to deportation orders. While over 20 children subject to deportation orders are confirmed to have left the State during this period, it should be noted that many will have left the State as part of their family group without being escorted.
Additionally, there may be some children who have had their deportation orders revoked in this period. Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 provides the grounds under which a deportation order may be revoked. My Department receives submissions from individuals and families seeking that this provision be invoked. In assessing such submissions, consideration is given to whether there is compelling new information or material changes in circumstances which were not previously put forward, nor capable of being put forward, when the original decision was made.
The main grounds advanced relate to the extent to which an individual has established family, employment and other connections here. All submissions are carefully assessed including in the context of any rights arising is carried out in each instance. An order may also be revoked on technical grounds where a person has been readmitted to the international protection process and permitted to remain in Ireland during that process.
It has not been possible to collate information regarding the number of deportation orders revoked in respect of children in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when this information is to hand.
I can advise the Deputy that the top countries of origin for children who have become the subject of deportation orders in 2023 were Albania and Georgia; in 2024 it was Georgia, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil and Albania; and 2025 to 31 May 2025 it has been Nigeria, Georgia, Brazil, South Africa and Afghanistan. In the case of orders issued to Afghan nationals, these are cases where there has been a lack of co-operation with the International Protection Process, such as when a person does not attend interviews or make representations that they and their family should be granted permission to remain in Ireland. In cases, where there is a lack of co-operation, there is no alternative but to make a deportation order once an application is refused.
I can advise the Deputy that all of the information sought regarding the top nationalities for each of the years requested cannot be provided as a person may be identifiable by releasing such information. My Department does not release information regarding nationalities of less than 5 people to protect the privacy of the people concerned.
