Two men appeared in Tullamore District Court on 22 December 2025 following a series of unannounced inspections by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) at restaurants in County Offaly. According to local media, officers detained four individuals suspected of breaching the conditions of their work permits; charges against one were struck out, while a bench warrant was issued for a fourth who failed to appear.
The raids form part of a nationwide compliance blitz aimed at sectors with historically high incidences of undocumented labour, including food service and agriculture. In the year to date, GNIB has carried out more than 1,200 workplace checks, up 45 per cent on 2024 levels.
![Immigration Officers Charge Workers After Offaly Restaurant Raids]()
Organisations that struggle to keep track of Ireland’s evolving visa and work-permit categories may benefit from using VisaHQ’s Ireland platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), which offers clear guidance on required documents, turnaround times and renewal reminders, plus live support for both employers and individual applicants.
Employers found employing non-EEA nationals without valid permission face fines up to €250,000 and potential closure orders. For HR professionals, the case is a timely reminder to maintain up-to-date right-to-work files and diarise permit-renewal dates. The crackdown also reinforces reputational risks for franchise brands that rely on franchisees’ compliance.
Practical tip: Conduct internal right-to-work audits before the hospitality high season recommences in February and ensure managers understand new digital stamp 4 verification tools launched by Immigration Service Delivery.
The raids form part of a nationwide compliance blitz aimed at sectors with historically high incidences of undocumented labour, including food service and agriculture. In the year to date, GNIB has carried out more than 1,200 workplace checks, up 45 per cent on 2024 levels.
Organisations that struggle to keep track of Ireland’s evolving visa and work-permit categories may benefit from using VisaHQ’s Ireland platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), which offers clear guidance on required documents, turnaround times and renewal reminders, plus live support for both employers and individual applicants.
Employers found employing non-EEA nationals without valid permission face fines up to €250,000 and potential closure orders. For HR professionals, the case is a timely reminder to maintain up-to-date right-to-work files and diarise permit-renewal dates. The crackdown also reinforces reputational risks for franchise brands that rely on franchisees’ compliance.
Practical tip: Conduct internal right-to-work audits before the hospitality high season recommences in February and ensure managers understand new digital stamp 4 verification tools launched by Immigration Service Delivery.
