Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
739. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there are planned or scheduled deportation flights for the remainder of 2026; the destination countries concerned; the budgetary provision allocated for such operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects 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.
Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. 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. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued and I have increased resources into this programme to enable individuals who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.
If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed, and 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). In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed, an increase of 96% compared to 2024.
In 2024, 1,122 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.) In 2025, 2,111 people had their departure confirmed through these pathways, an increase of 88% compared to 2024.
In 2025, six charter flight operations removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations to non-EU destinations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality.
The first removal operation of 2026 was conducted last Sunday, 25 January which involved the removal of 17 Polish citizens and 16 Lithuanian citizens on grounds of criminality. Further operations are being planned and will be conducted as the year progresses. For operational reasons it would not be appropriate to reveal details relating to any further operations planned for the remainder of the year.
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 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.
