The Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out the operation on Thursday removing the South African nationals on foot of deportation orders. An Garda Síochána/Facebook
Deportations
The flight is the fourth such charter deportation operation to take place this year.
UP TO 42 South African people, including 15 children, have been deported from Ireland via the latest government charter flight.
The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) carried out an operation on Thursday removing them on foot of deportation orders issued by the minister for justice.
This operation resulted in the removal of 18 women, nine men and the 15 juveniles.
The children removed were all part of family groups and were not deported on their own, according to the department of justice.
The costs for the charter flight were €735,000, excluding VAT, for a return flight.
The flight left Dublin on Thursday afternoon and arrived this morning in Johannesburg with each person subjected to the deportation order.
Commenting on the flight this morning, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said the “vast majority of South African nationals are legally resident in the State and positively contribute to society”, but he warned that Ireland’s immigration system must be rules based.
“The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure there is public confidence in the application of our legislation in this area,” O’Callaghan said.
Minister of state with responsibility for migration Colm Brophy echoed this, saying that Ireland “welcomes migrants as they play an important role in our economic, social and community life”, but that they must enter through the various legal pathways available as part of abiding by the laws of the State.
Of the 42 people on the flight, the department said, two of them had been “convicted of offences in this jurisdiction” and their removal came as part of ongoing nationwide operations by gardaí.
The returnees were accompanied on the flight by members of An Garda Síochána, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer.
Previous deportation flights
This week’s flight is the fourth deportation charter operation this year. Three previous flights removed 130 people from the State .
It follows six charter operations conducted last year which saw the removal of 205 people from the State.
The flights have come as part of a wider toughening of migration rules, with an increase of 96% in deportation orders for last year compared to 2024. In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed.
According to the minister, there have been 2,108 deportation orders signed this year so far.
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Read the full article at TheJournal.ie →📄Source document: Department of Justice
3 reports
RTÉ NewsState / PublicCenter2 days agoForty-two South African nationals, including 15 children, were deported from Ireland via a charter flight to Johannesburg. The Garda National Immigration Bureau conducted the operation based on deportation orders issued by the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan. This marks the fourth such deportation flight of the year, with 130 individuals previously removed, including 67 EU citizens due to criminal offenses. The cost of the latest flight was €735,000.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or framing. It reports on the number of deportations, the involvement of authorities, and associated costs without taking a stance on the policy itself or implying approval or criticism.
Official sources cited
- government Department of Justice
- government Garda National Immigration Bureau
The Irish TimesIndependent🔒Center2 days agoForty-two South African nationals living illegally in Ireland were deported via a chartered flight, costing the state at least €735,000. The individuals were removed following deportation orders issued by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Two of those deported had criminal convictions in Ireland. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan emphasized the importance of a rules-based immigration system and stated that most South Africans in Ireland are legal residents.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information regarding the deportation process, costs, and statements from officials without overtly favoring any political perspective. It includes quotes from the Minister for Justice and provides context about the legal framework governing deportations. There is no明显的偏
Official sources cited
- government Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan
TheJournal.ieIndependentCenter2 days agoUp to 42 South African nationals, including 15 children, were deported from Ireland via a government-chartered flight. The Garda National Immigration Bureau conducted the operation following deportation orders issued by the Minister for Justice. The flight was the fourth such deportation operation this year and cost €735,000, excluding VAT. The children were part of family groups and were not deported individually. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan emphasized that most South Africans in Ireland are legal residents who contribute positively to society, while stressing the need for a rules-based,
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about a deportation operation without overtly biased language or framing. It includes quotes from officials and provides details about the process, costs, and context regarding the legal status of South African nationals in Ireland. There is no clear emphasis
Official sources cited
- government Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan
Ireland