New figures released by the Department of Justice show that the State has already spent €1.52 million on five charter flights used to deport foreign nationals during 2025 – almost €300,000 more than in the whole of 2024. The data, first reported by The Sun Ireland, reveal that two one-way flights to Georgia, a return flight to Nigeria and another to Pakistan, plus a one-way flight to Romania, removed 153 people who had exhausted appeals against deportation.
Junior Justice Minister Colm Brophy said that charter flights are used only when commercial options are impractical, for example when large groups must travel under Garda escort or where transit visas cannot be secured. He added that part of the cost of commercial removals can be reclaimed from an EU return-funding mechanism, but charter flights are borne almost entirely by the Irish taxpayer.
The rising spend comes against the backdrop of record pressure on the asylum system: 3,583 deportation orders had been signed by mid-October, up from 2,468 at the same point last year. The department insists that “assisted voluntary return” remains its preferred option and says additional funds have been allocated to NGOs that help migrants return home.
For global mobility managers, the numbers underline Ireland’s tougher compliance stance. Companies employing non-EEA staff are being advised to audit right-to-work documentation and keep departure records for leavers because Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) spot-checks have increased. Immigration lawyers warn that overstaying employees may now face rapid removal instead of the traditional written warning and 30-day grace period.
While enforcement is intensifying, practitioners expect the figures to fuel political debate about value for money. Average cost per deportee on charter flights is €7,494 – far higher than the estimated €650 when removals happen on scheduled services – prompting calls for a cost–benefit review and greater use of voluntary-return grants.
Junior Justice Minister Colm Brophy said that charter flights are used only when commercial options are impractical, for example when large groups must travel under Garda escort or where transit visas cannot be secured. He added that part of the cost of commercial removals can be reclaimed from an EU return-funding mechanism, but charter flights are borne almost entirely by the Irish taxpayer.
The rising spend comes against the backdrop of record pressure on the asylum system: 3,583 deportation orders had been signed by mid-October, up from 2,468 at the same point last year. The department insists that “assisted voluntary return” remains its preferred option and says additional funds have been allocated to NGOs that help migrants return home.
For global mobility managers, the numbers underline Ireland’s tougher compliance stance. Companies employing non-EEA staff are being advised to audit right-to-work documentation and keep departure records for leavers because Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) spot-checks have increased. Immigration lawyers warn that overstaying employees may now face rapid removal instead of the traditional written warning and 30-day grace period.
While enforcement is intensifying, practitioners expect the figures to fuel political debate about value for money. Average cost per deportee on charter flights is €7,494 – far higher than the estimated €650 when removals happen on scheduled services – prompting calls for a cost–benefit review and greater use of voluntary-return grants.
