Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
462. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of removal orders made under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015 in each year from 2018 to date, in tabular form; the number of such orders effected in each year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41419/26]
View answer463. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the grounds on which removal orders are made under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015; the appeal mechanisms available to persons subject to such orders; the number of appeals made and the number successful in each year from 2018 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41420/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.
The 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 people 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.
Such orders are made after a full assessment of a person’s individual circumstances and can be made on the grounds of public policy, public security or public health; legally, such orders must not be disproportionate and an individual assessment of factors such as length of residence in the country, integration (e.g. work history), age, health etc. must be carried out.
Any person subject to a removal order is entitled to submit an appeal (review) of their decision within 15 days of issuance of the initial decision letter.
The information requested by the Deputy on the number of appeals received, as well as the number that were successful, is not readily available. My Department is currently compiling this information and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
The table below details the number of removal orders which have been signed and enforced under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015 between 2018 and up to 25 May 2026.
|
Year |
Orders signed under the Regulations |
Orders enforced under the Regulations |
|
2018 |
42 |
70 |
|
2019 |
76 |
64 |
|
2020 |
33 |
32 |
|
2021 |
40 |
42 |
|
2022 |
58 |
37 |
|
2023 |
19 |
21 |
|
2024 |
24 |
18 |
|
2025 |
158 |
56 |
|
2026 (to 25 May) |
70 |
88 |
* Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
A removal order effected in any year may relate to an order signed in a previous year. There may be a time lag between the making of a removal order and its enforcement in circumstances such as where the subject is continuing to serve a period of imprisonment.
It is the case that a significant number of individuals who were subject to removal orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities; however, as there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to definitely provide the number of people who have or have not complied with an order.
