The number of deportation orders signed up to yesterday was 1,792 which is an increase of 140% on the same period in 2023, according to figures Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will bring to the Cabinet this week.
In the same period there have been 98 enforced deportations which is an increase of 165% compared to this point in 2023.
Ms McEntee will tell colleagues that the number of voluntary returns has also increased significantly.
Voluntary return numbers are up on last year with 648 recorded so far in 2024 in comparison to 175 in the same period in 2023.
Gardaí have arrested 138 people this year for arriving without appropriate documentation and a significant number have been convicted.
The process to secure charter flights, which will significantly increase capacity to conduct more enforced deportations, is set to conclude this year.
In addition, the move to free up to 100 gardaí for other immigration enforcement work, including deportations, will be fully up and running in the first three months of next year.
Ms McEntee will also provide a report to the Government this week on measures introduced to speed up processing times for those seeking international protection.
Accelerated international protection processing was introduced by Ms McEntee in November 2022.
The minister will tell the Cabinet that it has resulted in significant reductions in applications from the countries in question since then.
Accelerated processing now applies to three types of applicants. The first are those from safe countries of origin.
The safe country list has been expanded since its introduction and is regularly reviewed.
There are currently 15 safe countries of origin – Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia and South Africa.
The second area focuses on applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe.
The third group are citizens of the two countries which provide the highest number of applicants in the previous quarter. This is currently Nigeria and Jordan.
This measure was introduced in April of this year for the top country, Nigeria, and then extended to citizens from the second highest country of application, Jordan, on the 29 July.
Engagement between the Department of Justice, the UK Home Office, gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland around protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuses is also ongoing.
Ms McEntee will tell the Government that immigration investigations and enforcement action are being undertaken on a daily basis by the Garda National Immigration Bureau who work closely with their counterparts in UK Border Force and Immigration Enforcement in joint operations to detect and tackle abuses of the CTA.
Deportation numbers ‘damning’
Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has described the figures released by the Minister for Justice on the number of deportations as damning.
He said Minister McEntee had effectively admitted that of the 1,792 deportation orders issued so far this year, at least 59% of these have not been followed through.
“I say at least, because the numbers not being actioned maybe far more. The Minister has confirmed to me in previous parliamentary questions, that she cannot stand over whether the 648 voluntary deportations were actioned or not. The Minister cannot say for sure that these people have left the country,” he said.
Mr Tóibín also criticised the Government for still not having the charted flights in place which he said are necessary to remove those who have received a deportation order.
