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The Journal
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Justice Minister says €325,000 deportation flight to Nigeria is ‘value for money'
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O'Callaghan has said last night's chartered flight for deportations which cost close to €325,000 is 'value for money'. Last night, 35 people were deported on a chartered flight to Lagos, Nigeria. This included 21 men, nine women and five children – the children removed are all part of family groups. It's the third chartered flight so far this year and was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau, following two previous chartered flights to Georgia. O'Callaghan said the flight 'landed safely this morning', though it did have to make an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board. When a person does not comply with a deportation order they can be arrested and detained to ensure their deportation. The Department of Justice said carries out enforced removals as a 'last resort' when a person does not remove themselves from the State. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, O'Callaghan said the exact cost of last night's flight was €324,714. The first chartered flight to Georgia in February cost just over €102,000 , and O'Callaghan told the Dáil that the second flight in April would cost around €200,000 . O'Callaghan said the cost of last night's flight includes the cost of employing gardaí for this purpose. He described the fee of close to €325,000 as the 'standard price'. Advertisement 'You have to look at the alternative to it,' said O'Callaghan. 'My department is spending €1.2 billion this year just in terms of accommodation for people who are seeking asylum. 'We do it because we're obliged to do so, but there has to be a consequence.' He added that the flight costs provides 'value for money'. 'Not just in terms of the cost of a charter flight,' said O'Callaghan, 'but also it is sending out a very clear message that deportation orders mean something. 'If you have a deportation order, you're required to leave the country. If you don't do so voluntarily, it will be enforced.' He added: 'It's in the interest of people who are granted asylum, that persons who are rejected for asylum are forced to leave. 'Otherwise the asylum system becomes meaningless.' Meanwhile, O'Callaghan remarked that such enforced deportations 'is not a very pleasant part of the job'. 'But in terms of ensuring that we have a rules based system, it is absolutely essential that we have a response and a consequence to people who have been served with a deportation order yet do not comply with it,' he added. O'Callaghan also said that such chartered flights will be a 'fairly frequent and regular response to the issue'. 'People have to know that if they're served with a deportation order, it has meaning. 'If it is the case that you're not permitted to stay, there must be a consequence otherwise the whole system becomes meaningless.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
5 children have been counted among the 35 Nigerians deported from Ireland
In a massive immigration enforcement operation led by the national police department of Ireland, An Garda Síochána, the European nation deported 35 people to Nigeria on Wednesday. Ireland deported 35 individuals to Nigeria in a recent immigration enforcement operation. The deportees included five children and nine women, per the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Justice Minister highlighted adherence to robust immigration rules for a fair system.
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
5 Nigerian children have been counted among the 35 Nigerians deported from Ireland
In a massive immigration enforcement operation led by the national police department of Ireland, An Garda Síochána, the European nation deported 35 people to Nigeria on Wednesday. Ireland deported 35 individuals to Nigeria in a recent immigration enforcement operation. The deportees included five children and nine women, per the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Justice Minister highlighted adherence to robust immigration rules for a fair system.
Irish Post
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Post
Ireland deports men, women and children on chartered flight to Nigeria
IRELAND has deported 35 people to Nigeria on a chartered flight from Dublin Airport. That figure included 21 men, nine women and five children - who were part of family groups, An Garda Síochána said in a statement this morning. All were Nigerian nationals. 'Yesterday, Wednesday, June 4, the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) of An Garda Síochána carried out an operation removing individuals from the State,' they confirmed. 'All individuals were removed on a chartered flight which left Dublin Airport last night for Nigeria.' The flight had to make a medical stop during the journey, but it arrived in Lagos with all passengers on board this morning, Ireland's Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said today. 'Ireland has a rules-based immigration system,' he said this morning. 'It is important that those rules are robust and enforced.' Minister O'Callaghan added: '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.' The deportation is the third such operation conducted in Ireland since February of this year, when the use of charter flights for deportations recommenced. Further charter operations will be conducted as the year progresses, the Government has confirmed. 'This is the third charter operation this year,' Minister O'Callaghan said. '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,' he explained. 'I want to thank the members of An Garda Síochána and my officials for their work in conducting this successful operation.' In Ireland charter flights are used for deportations, in addition to commercial flights, when deemed more appropriate, such as in cases where a group of people are being removed to the same destination. '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,' Minister O'Callagahn said. '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 week's operation brings the number of people removed from Ireland 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 the latest deportation, Ireland's Migration Minister 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.' He added: 'Today's flight, the third charter flight this year, underpins the Government's commitment in this area. '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.' See More: Chartered Flights, Deportation, Dublin, Ireland, Nigeria
The Journal
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Over 30 people, including five children, deported to Nigeria on special chartered flight
SOME 35 PEOPLE, including five children, were deported from Ireland last night on a special chartered flight to Nigeria. It's the third such chartered flight so far this year and was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. It saw the removal of 35 people, including 21 men, nine women and five children. The children removed are all part of family groups. The chartered flight left Dublin Airport last night for Nigeria. In a post on X, Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said the flight 'landed safely this morning in Lagos, Nigeria'. He added that the people on board 'had received but had not complied with Deportation Orders'. Advertisement Another deportation flight left Dublin last night and landed safely this morning in Lagos, Nigeria. There were 35 people on board who had received but had not complied with Deportation Orders. — Jim O'Callaghan TD (@OCallaghanJim) June 5, 2025 When a person does not comply with a deportation order they can be arrested and detained to ensure their deportation. The Department of Justice previously said carries out enforced removals as a 'last resort' when a person does not remove themselves from the State. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána remarked that the force 'continues to work closely with the Department of Justice in implementing immigration policy'. The first charter flight took place at the end of February and involved the deportation of 28 men, three women, and a child who was on the flight with their mother and father. The second of these flights was chartered at the beginning of the month and saw 39 people deported to Georgia . This group included 30 men, four women and five children, and each of the five children were part of family groups. It brings the number of enforced deportations so far this year to 154. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
