Ireland has seen a sharp rise in the issuance of deportation orders this year, though a significant gap remains between the number of legal mandates signed and the number of individuals actually removed from the state.
New government figures reveal that 1,712 deportation orders were signed between January 1 and May 8, 2024. During that same period, 759 people were deported through various channels, including voluntary returns and enforced removals. The data, provided in a written Dáil reply to Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan, highlights an intensifying effort by the Department of Justice to streamline the removal of non-nationals who no longer have a legal right to remain in the country.
The disparity between orders and actual departures is a long-standing challenge for Irish immigration authorities. While the volume of paperwork has surged, the physical removal of individuals often depends on the cooperation of the person, the willingness of the home country to accept them, and the availability of transport.
A breakdown of removals and charter flights
Of the 759 people deported so far this year, the majority left voluntarily. According to the Department of Justice, 511 individuals opted for voluntary returns, while 107 were subject to enforced deportations. The remaining figures include 62 people removed via charter aircraft, 26 who left the state following a deportation order without an escort, and 53 classified as other removals.
Charter operations have become a more prominent tool in the state’s enforcement strategy. Two charter flights conducted so far in 2024 resulted in the removal of 96 people. This group included 33 EU citizens who were deported specifically on grounds of criminality.
This follows a trend from the previous year, where six charter operations removed 205 people. Of those, 182 were non-EU nationals subject to deportation orders, while 23 were EU citizens removed due to criminal records.
The ‘Exit Check’ blind spot
One of the most persistent hurdles for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is the lack of routine exit checks at Irish borders. Because Ireland does not systematically track every person leaving the country, the government cannot definitively state how many people comply with deportation orders by leaving on their own without notifying authorities.
The Minister for Justice noted that a significant number of individuals likely leave the state quietly after receiving an order. To estimate these numbers, the GNIB has reviewed a large sample of cases, and their inquiries suggest that a very significant number of individuals subject to these orders have indeed left Ireland, even if they did not officially report their departure.
The Minister emphasized that maintaining a “robust and rules-based” immigration system is a central priority, stating that the enforcement of deportation laws is an essential requirement to ensure confidence in the application of legislation.
Tracking the upward trend in enforcement
The current figures are part of a broader, multi-year increase in deportation activity. The number of orders signed has grown aggressively since 2022, reflecting a shift toward stricter enforcement of immigration status.
| Year | Deportation Orders Signed | Total Deportations |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 867 | 1,122 |
| 2023 | 2,403 | 2,111 |
| 2024 (to May 8) | 1,712 | 759 |
The leap from 867 orders in 2022 to 2,403 in 2023 represents a 180 per cent increase, signaling a significant ramp-up in administrative processing. While the total number of deportations also rose—nearly doubling from 1,122 in 2022 to 2,111 in 2023—the rate of orders signed has begun to outpace the rate of actual removals.
This trend suggests that while the state is becoming more efficient at identifying and ordering the removal of ineligible residents, the logistical “bottleneck” of physical deportation remains a primary constraint.
Disclaimer: This article discusses legal and immigration proceedings. It is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
The Department of Justice is expected to provide further updated figures during the next quarterly review of immigration enforcement and border management. We will continue to monitor these developments as the government seeks to close the gap between signed orders and successful removals.
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