Over €1.6m spent on deportation flights in first four months of 2026

Michael Bolton

Over €1.6 million was spent on deportation flights in the first four months of 2026.

Figures from the Department of Justice through the Freedom of Information Act, show €1,660,931.18 was spent on deportation flights from January 1st to April 15th.

€941,288.93 was spent on Enforced Returns conducted via commercial flights, while €719,642.25 was spent on Charter flights.

A charter flight is only used when there are a significant number of people of one nationality who have deportation orders and are to be returned.

A deportation order is issued if an individual is deemed to be living illegally in the State and does not take up an option for voluntary return to their home country.

There have been four deportation flights so far this year.

On Thursday, 42 South African nationals were deported from Ireland.

This includes nine men, 18 women and 15 children, who were all part of family units. The removal flight was provided by Air Partner Ltd at a cost of €735,000 (ex-VAT) for a return flight.

Three previous operations this year removed 130 people from the State, including 67 EU citizens on grounds of criminality, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said.

Those deported were accompanied on the flight by gardaí, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer.

In 2025, six charter operations were conducted, the Department of Justice said, which saw the deportation of 205 people.

To date this year, 2,108 deportation orders have been signed, and last year, 4,700 were signed, an increase of 96 per cent compared to 2024.

In 2024, the number of voluntary returns stood at 934. In 2025, 1,616 people availed of voluntary return.

Voluntary return is an option open to people who have no legal status in Ireland, including those who are refused International Protection. Where this option is taken up, a deportation order is not issued in respect of that person.

In 2025, six charter flight operations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders from the State, and 23 EU nationals were removed on Removal Orders.

Up to June 12th, 2026, 1,034 people have departed the State through various deportation pathways.