Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2025
356. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications made to the voluntary return programme in each of the past five years, the number approved, the number refused; and the number of approved applicants who subsequently did not depart the State. [52771/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra357. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the criteria and process used by his Department in assessing applications to the voluntary return programme; and the grounds on which applications are refused. [52772/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra360. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the top ten countries of nationality of those availing of the voluntary return programme in each of the past five years; and the number of returns for each nationality. [52775/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra361. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will commit to publishing an annual statistical report on the voluntary return programme, setting out in anonymised form the number of applicants, approvals, refusals, grant levels, nationalities involved, and overall expenditure. [52776/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 356, 357, 360 and 361 together.
It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. Returning people who do not have permission to remain in Ireland is undertaken through voluntary returns and deportation. Both types of returns are essential for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.
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. In 2024, 934 people left Ireland by way of voluntary return. This year 1,188 people have left Ireland by way of voluntary return up to 26 September 2025, which is an increase of 116% compared to the same period in 2024.
A person who is intending to avail of voluntary return can arrange their return independently or they can be assisted with travel costs, financial aid and administrative support by the Voluntary Return Unit in my Department or through my Department’s partner, the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The option of Voluntary Return is not offered to those convicted of serious criminality.
Up until 2023, the Voluntary Return Programme was administered solely by IOM on behalf of my Department. In 2024, my Department developed its own Voluntary Return Programme, which operates in tandem and in close cooperation with IOM’s services. My Department’s programme provides assistance to people who wish to leave and are not deemed to be in a vulnerable situation. In general terms, the IOM considers more vulnerable cases. The voluntary return service comprises of pre-departure counselling, organising travel arrangements and the payment of a reintegration grant.
If a person receives a final negative decision on their International Protection application or withdraws their application, they are informed of the option of voluntary return and they have five days to indicate whether they wish to avail of it. When a person indicates that they wish to avail of the option to voluntarily return, a completed voluntary return application form is requested within five working days. If a person decides not to avail of a voluntary return within this period, or they do not compete the voluntary return process then a deportation order can be made against them.
There are safeguards in place for vulnerable people and requests for return can be refused if it would be unsafe for the person to return home. The Voluntary Returns Unit assesses each application on their eligibility for the programme. The option to voluntary return under the programme is not available to people subject to deportation orders or to people with a history of serious criminality.
People leaving under the programme are required to provide my officials with documentary evidence that they have left within three days of their arrival in their home country. This can include evidence of flight tickets, boarding passes, the bio-data page of their passports and the re-entry stamp in their passport with the passport number clearly shown.
In many instances those availing of voluntary return will also be met by officials from the Border Management Unit of my Department, or by IOM, to ensure that their return journey is facilitated through Dublin Airport and that their departure is confirmed.
Further information and evidence will be requested if the supporting documentation submitted is not sufficient to confirm that the person has left the State. People who do not submit the required documentation within the timeframes are advised that their cases will be reverted for further processing which may result in a deportation order issuing if the person is not confirmed to have left the State.
The table below details the number of applications made to the voluntary return programme in each of the past five years, the number of applications which resulted in a confirmed voluntary departure and the number people who applied but did not subsequently depart the State under the programme.
Table one: Voluntary Return Applications received, departures completed and departures not completed from 2020 to 26 September 2025
|
Year |
Applications received |
VR Completed |
VR Not Completed(1) |
|
2020 |
267 |
201 |
66 |
|
2021 |
149 |
132 |
13 |
|
2022 |
130 |
91 |
31 |
|
2023 |
329 |
215 |
103 |
|
2024 |
1250 |
934 |
293 |
|
2025* |
1700 |
1,188 |
346 |
* to 26/09/2025.
**Please note, statistics may change subject to data cleansing. An application which has been finalised in a given year may have been received in a previous year.
(1) VR not completed refers to people who applied for a voluntary return but did not have their departure confirmed under the VR Programme. This includes people who were refused and/or withdrew their application for Voluntary Return.
The tables at the link below detail the nationalities of those availing of the voluntary return programme in each of the past five years; and the number of returns for each nationality. It is the policy of my Department not to release numbers where there are less than 5 in respect of any nationality, as there is a possibility that a person may be identifiable by releasing such information. Therefore, the full information regarding the nationalities of voluntary returnees is not provided.
I have no current plans to publish an annual statistical report on the voluntary return programme, however, I do regularly provide information on the programme in response to Parliamentary Questions as required.
