Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 June 2025
225. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide a schedule of the aircraft leasing companies his Department has engaged with andor utilised in the context of deportation flights, and costs incurred to date in respect of deportation flights and all ancillary services associated with same, in tabular form. [30946/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra227. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide a schedule of the commercial airline companies his Department has engaged with and-or utilised in the context of deportation flights, and costs incurred to date in respect of deportation flights and all ancillary services associated with same, in tabular form. [30948/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra228. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide a schedule of the charter airline companies his Department has engaged with and-or utilised in the context of deportation flights, and costs incurred to date in respect of deportation flights and all ancillary services associated with same, in tabular form (details supplied). [30949/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 225, 227 and 228 together.
It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspect of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.
A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. Any person who has been ordered to leave the State and fails to do so, within the timeframe issued with the deportation order, is committing a criminal offence and can be arrested without warrant if they come into contact with An Garda Síochána. Such an order remains on the person’s record permanently, unless revoked by the Minister for Justice – it means they may not enter Ireland again in future.
It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. It is important to note that a person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued.
My Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals. The number of deportation orders signed in 2024 (2,403) increased by 180% compared to 2023 (857). This year 1,940 deportation orders have been signed up to 06 June 2025.
Last year, 1,116 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.), an increase of 252% compared to 2023 (317). This year 893 persons have had their departure confirmed through these pathways up to 06 June 2025.
I can advise the Deputy that my Department does not lease aircraft directly for the purpose of enforcing deportation orders. Charter flight services are provided by Air Partner Ltd under a contract entered into in November 2024. This contract was signed following a competitive and open procurement process. The costs for the provision of the aircraft for these operations has been as follows:
• €102,476 for a one-way flight to Georgia in February.
• €103,751 for a one-way flight to Georgia in May.
• €324,714 for a return flight to Nigeria in June.
Costs for the provision of supporting charter flight services such as ground handling services, on-board paramedics and a flight manager have been €46,352 so far in 2025.
The potential value of this contract is €5m over the lifespan of the contract. The term of the contract is 3 years with a possibility to extend it twice by one year, a potential lifespan of 5 years in total. The total expenditure under the contract with Air Partner will be based on the number of charter flights provided, the frequency of which will be determined by the operational needs of the State.
Commercial flights are also used as part of deportation enforcement operations and are booked through the Department’s commercial flight provider. Therefore my Department does not maintain a schedule of airlines used for this purpose.
The below table sets out the number of removals enforced in 2024 and year to date in 2025; and the associated costs for those years. The figure for commercial flights (often through hubs and long-distance) includes the flight costs for removal operations completed using commercial airlines and also the costs of returning accompanying escorts to Ireland when a one-way charter flight is used to enforce deportation orders.
Table 1. Deportation and Removals Costs
|
- |
2024 |
2025* |
|
Deportation orders enforced on commercial airlines |
134 |
54 |
|
Deportation orders enforced by GNIB on charter flights |
N/A |
106 |
|
Other removals enforced on commercial flights |
26 |
10 |
|
Commercial Flight costs |
€1,202,750 |
€527,003** |
|
Charter Aircraft costs |
N/A |
€530,942 |
|
Charter Operations support services |
N/A |
€46,352 |
*Please note that the figures for 2025 are provisional and subject to change.
**including the return of escorts for one way charter operations.
A number of factors impact the costs associated with deportation operations. In particular, the costs for any particular deportation reflect the numbers travelling in each instance; in some cases a person may resist deportation and the Garda National Immigration Bureau risk assessment may give rise to the need for additional escorts. Flight costs also can often be impacted by the need to make arrangements to enable escorts to return on the same flight; where, for example, it is necessary for the personal safety of the escorts.
