2227. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons subject to a deportation order signed between 2020 and 2025 whose whereabouts are not known to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56452/26]

2228. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost to the Department of processing and signing deportation orders in each year from 2020 to 2025; whether the Department has set any target or performance indicator for the proportion of signed deportation orders that are enforced; whether the gap between orders signed and orders enforced is recorded on the Department's Corporate Risk Register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56453/26]

2394. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of persons who were deported on commercial flights in 2024, 2025, to date in 2026; the total costs associated with these deportations for each of the years and time periods specified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58425/26]

2404. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of people issued with a deportation order; the number of persons deported by the State, respectively, in each of the past five years and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58581/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2227, 2228, 2394 and 2404 together.

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.

If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed, and my Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals.

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. 2,650 deportation orders have been signed up to 24 July 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 24 July 2026, 1,294 people have departed the State through these pathways.

Tables 1 and 2 below detail the number of deportation orders signed, as well as the number enforced, from 2020 up to 24 July 2026.

Table 1

*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.

Table 2: Deportation Enforcement 2020 to 24 July 2026

*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.

** During the COVID- 19 Pandemic there was a moratorium on deportations. This was effective during the latter part of 2020, 2021 and for the first 8 months of 2022. During the moratorium only people who whose presence in Ireland would be contrary to the public interest were deported. This moratorium was lifted in July 2022.

*** A deportation order effected in any year may relate to an order signed in a previous year.

1. Otherwise confirmed deportations is where it has been confirmed a person has left the state following receipt of a deportation order without being escorted.

2. Other removals include Dublin III Transfer Orders of International Protection applicants to another EU State and EU Removal Orders for the return of EU Citizens under the Free Movement Regulations (these orders are made on grounds of criminality) and people who are deemed inadmissible under the International Protection Act.

Table 3 below shows the costs incurred of charter and commercial flights from 2024, up to 24 July 2026. The figure for commercial flights includes both the flight costs (often through hubs and long-distance) for removal operations completed and also the costs of returning accompanying escorts to Ireland when a one-way charter flight is used.

Table 3: Costs for Charter and Commercial flights from 2024, up to 24 July 2026.

*Figures include VAT

**includes the return of escorts for one way charter operations. These are provisional costs as the invoicing process has not yet been completed.

Table 4 sets out the number of removals enforced on commercial airlines and charter flights from 2024, up to 24 July 2026.

Table 4: Deportations enforced from 2024, up to 24 July 2026.

*Other enforced removals include Dublin III Transfer Orders of International Protection applicants to other EU State and EU Removal Orders for the return of EU Citizen under the Free Movement Regulations (these orders are made on grounds of criminality) and persons who are deemed inadmissible under the International Protection Act.

Since 2016 to the end of 2023, my Department was able to reclaim some costs of commercial flights under the European Union’s Asylum Migration and Integration Fund. A new fund opened in 2024 and my Department continues to reclaim funding for commercial flight costs under this EU Fund (for deportation costs only) and will be reclaiming charter costs under this fund.

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.  Furthermore, in some cases, a person may resist deportation and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) risk assessment may give rise to the need for additional escorts.

It is the case that a significant number of individuals who were subject to deportation orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities; As there are no routine exit checks at Irish borders, it is not possible to definitely provide the number of people who have or have not complied with an order. I am, however, informed that the GNIB has reviewed a large sample of cases of people subject to deportation orders; their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State. The nature and extent of these checks, as well enforcement of deportation orders, are a matter for the GNIB.

I can inform the Deputy that there are no targets within my Department for the number of enforced deportations, however, my Department works closely with the GNIB to progress arrangements for the removal of people subject to deportation orders. If a person issued with a deportation order does not leave the State independently then they are required to present to the GNIB in accordance with the conditions of their deportation order.

Information on the total cost associated with the processing and signing of deportation orders is not available as individuals may be subject to a range of decisions made across a number of sections within Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) before a deportation order is signed. As the signing of a deportation order represents the final stage of the immigration process, it is not possible to attribute the total costs associated solely with the processing and signing of deportation orders.