Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
429. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of flights which have been chartered by the State in the past five years to return failed asylum seekers or those denied entry to the country back to the point of origin, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52918/23]
View answerWhen issued with a deportation order, the person concerned is required to remove themselves from the State. Many people comply with this and leave the country.
Enforced deportations are used as a matter of last resort, where the person concerned has not removed themselves or engaged with the Departments voluntary return programme.
It is the case that many hundreds of individuals who were subject to Deportation Orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities. The Garda National Immigration Bureau has reviewed a large sample of the cases from last year who were subject to deportation orders. Their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.
In 2023 to date, approximately 800 deportation orders have been signed, an increase on 2022’s total figure of 528.
In 2022, 248 people were confirmed as removed from the State under various immigration processes. Returns to date in 2023 are confirmed at 285.
I can advise the Deputy that the use of charter flights to facilitate the removal of multiple individuals of a particular country of origin who do not have permission to be in the State may be justified where there are sufficient numbers of such persons to make such an option cost effective.
The State has in the past participated in joint return operations with other EU Member States, where the State avails of seats on a chartered plane that lands in Ireland and collects people for return to one or more destinations. The State has also availed of seats on charter aircraft provided by other Member States departing from mainland Europe. These arrangements are reciprocal in nature and involves Ireland providing a similar service for other Member States to avail of on occasion.
There have been no charter operations since 2019. However, my Department, with the assistance of the Office for Government Procurement, is currently preparing a request for tenders from relevant service providers with a view to Ireland being in a position to carry out such operations from next year.
In the past five years, the State has participated in the following charters:
In 2018, Ireland availed of a joint return operation with the UK by availing of seats on a charter flight to Nigeria.
In 2019, Ireland led a charter plane in cooperation with Belgium and Iceland. The persons concerned were Georgian and Albanian nationals.
Those who are refused leave to land on arrival in the State are returned on flights with the relevant airline.
