In a recent and significant operation, 35 Nigerian nationals, including five children, were deported from Ireland by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. This action saw 21 men and nine women removed from the country, with the children being part of family units who were deported alongside their adult relatives.
An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police force, affirmed its commitment to working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice to uphold immigration policy. Such operations, they stated, are a crucial part of their role in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws.
This move marks the latest in a series of charter deportations that resumed earlier this year. February saw 32 individuals deported to Georgia at a cost exceeding €102,000. This marked the first such operation under a new government contract, inked in November 2024, specifically designed to bolster the State’s capacity for enforcing deportation orders. Following suit, May witnessed another 39 individuals removed to Tbilisi under the same contractual arrangement.
Back in February, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan had sent a clear message regarding the government’s stance, stating, “If you’re seeking asylum and you’re not entitled to asylum, don’t come to Ireland.” The Department of Justice has since emphasized that the increased availability of these charter services has significantly enhanced An Garda Síochána’s ability to carry out removals of individuals determined to have no legal right to remain in the State.
