1363. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the costs of all deportation charter flights to date; the cost of each flight; the number of deportees on board; and if he is examining ways to reduce the cost involved. [42547/26]

It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.

Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued and I have increased resources into this programme to enable individuals who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.

A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed. My Department works closely with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to progress arrangements for the removal of people subject to deportation orders.

The number of deportation orders signed in 2024 (2,403) increased by 180% compared to 2023 (857). In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed, an increase of 96% compared to 2024. 2,108 deportation orders have been signed up to 5 June 2026.

In 2024, 1,122 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.). In 2025, 2,111 people had their departure confirmed through these pathways, an increase of 88% compared to 2024. Up to 5 June 2026, 977 people have departed the State through these pathways.

In 2025, six charter flight operations removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations to non-EU destinations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality.

Three charter operations to date in 2026 have seen the removal of 130 people from the State, including 67 EU citizens who were removed on grounds of criminality.

Charter flight services are provided by Air Partner Ltd under a contract entered into in November 2024. This contract was signed following a competitive and open procurement process.

The potential value of this contract is €5m over the lifespan of the contract. The term of the contract is 3 years with a possibility to extend it twice by one year, a potential lifespan of 5 years in total. The total expenditure under the contract with Air Partner will be based on the number of charter flights provided, the frequency of which will be determined by the operational needs of the State.

Charter flights provide an alternative to commercial flights and can be more appropriate in circumstances when a group of individuals are being removed to the same destination. This has increased the options available to An Garda Síochána to effect removals and deportations.

The table below sets out the provisional costs for the nine charter flights that have occurred under this contract to date.

A number of factors impact the costs associated with deportation operations. In particular, the costs for any particular deportation reflect the numbers travelling in each instance, the destination country, and if direct flights are not available the escorts and deportee transit through a hub airport.