Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
229. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of foreign nationals with criminal convictions who have been removed from Ireland in each of the past five years, by nationality. [10620/26]
View answerThe removal of people who are involved in criminality and those who are a danger to society is a priority for me as Minister and my Department works closely with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service to ensure high risk persons are prioritised for removal from Ireland.
Under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, which transposes the Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC) into Irish law, orders can be made for both the removal and exclusion of citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland who represent a danger to public policy or public security. These orders can be made on the grounds of that the individual’s personal conduct represents a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society.
These orders, and their legal basis, are distinct from deportation orders which are legal orders to leave the State and apply in respect of non-EEA nationals only.
Under Section 3 of the Immigration 1999, as amended, a Deportation Order may be issued on a number of grounds, including:
• under Section 3(2)(a,) a person who has served or is serving a term of imprisonment imposed on him or her by a court in the State,
• under Section 3(2)(b), a person whose deportation has been recommended by a court in the State before which such person was indicted for or charged with any crime or offence,
• under Section 3(2)(i), a person whose deportation would, in the opinion of the Minister, be conducive to the common good.
The table below details the total number of people removed from the State due to criminality from 2021 to 2025.
|
- |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Deportations |
5 |
13 |
15 |
23 |
76 |
|
EU Removals |
42 |
37 |
21 |
18 |
56 |
|
Total |
47 |
50 |
36 |
41 |
132 |
A breakdown by nationality is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.
