The Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has today (Thursday) announced the completion of a successful deportation operation to Nigeria.
Deportation orders were enforced against 35 people (30 adults and 5 children) who have been removed from Ireland by charter flight. The children removed were part of family units.
This is the third operation conducted since the recommencement of charter flights for deportations in February of this year. Access to these services has significantly increased the capacity of An Garda Síochána to enforce deportation orders and is a measure Minister O’Callaghan is deploying to step up immigration enforcement.
Further charter operations will be conducted as the year progresses.
Speaking on today’s operation the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said:
“Ireland has a rules-based immigration system. It is important that those rules are robust and enforced. The return of people whose applications have been refused and deportation orders have issued is the foundation of any modern rules-based immigration process.
People coming to Ireland must follow the appropriate pathways for legal migration and these pathways must be adhered to and protected for our immigration system to work fairly and effectively. If a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State they must do so.
This is the third charter operation this year. Removal operations of this nature send a clear message that there are consequences for people who remain in our country without permission and underscores this Government’s intention to protect the integrity of our immigration system.
The flight was required to make an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board, but I am happy to say that the flight was able to resume its journey with all 35 returnees arriving safely in Nigeria this morning.
I want to thank the members of An Garda Síochána and my officials for their work in conducting this successful operation.”
Charter flights are used in addition to commercial flights and can be more appropriate in circumstances where a group of people are being removed to the same destination. These operations are conducted under a contract signed by the State in November 2024 for the provision of charter aircraft.
Minister O’Callaghan added:
“Enforced removals are conducted as a measure of last resort when the person concerned has not removed themselves from the State or availed of assisted voluntary return measures. Before a deportation order is made, the person is offered assistance to return home voluntarily which is the preferred option. There has been a significant increase in the number of people leaving voluntarily and I continue to appeal to those who are given this opportunity to avail of it where appropriate.”
Two charter flights already conducted this year have removed 71 people who were subject to deportation orders. This operation brings the number of people removed by charter flight to 106. Additionally, 54 deportation orders have been enforced on commercial flights and 23 people subject to deportation orders are confirmed to have left Ireland unescorted so far in 2025.
Welcoming today’s flight, Minister for Migration Colm Brophy said:
“Having a modern immigration system where its laws are effective and enforced is a key priority for this Government. The removal of people who have no legal right to be in the State, and the enforcement aspect of our immigration laws, are essential for the system to work effectively.
Today’s flight, the third charter flight this year, underpins the Government’s commitment in this area. I would like to thank members of An Garda Siochana for their ongoing hard work and commitment to ensuring that our returns system is effective and efficient.”
“This Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. This is the preferred option, and I would encourage those who are provided the opportunity to return voluntarily to avail of it. So far this year, 694 people have availed of the voluntary return programme.”
The people concerned were Nigerian nationals and the flight left Dublin Airport on Wednesday night and landed in Lagos Thursday morning.
