Forty-two South African nationals, including 15 children, have been deported from Ireland on the latest Government-chartered removal flight.
The operation was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) on Thursday, with those removed travelling from Dublin Airport to Johannesburg on foot of deportation orders issued by the Minister for Justice.
Among those deported were 18 women, nine men and 15 children, all of whom were part of family groups. The Department of Justice stressed that none of the children were deported alone.
The charter flight departed Dublin at around 3.30pm on Thursday and arrived in South Africa on Friday morning. The cost of the return flight has been put at €735,000 excluding VAT, although the department said the final overall cost of the operation has yet to be confirmed.
The Government said two of the people removed had previous criminal convictions in Ireland. Those on board were accompanied by members of An Garda Síochána, medical personnel, an interpreter and an independent human rights observer.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the operation formed part of the State's efforts to enforce immigration laws and maintain confidence in the system.
He stressed that the vast majority of South African nationals living in Ireland do so legally and contribute positively to society, but said deportation orders remain a necessary part of a rules-based immigration system.
Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy also defended the operation, saying Ireland welcomes migrants who enter through legal channels and comply with the laws of the State.
A deportation order is issued when a person is found to be living illegally in Ireland and does not avail of options such as voluntary return to their home country.
The latest flight was the fourth charter deportation operation of 2026. Three previous flights this year removed 130 people, including 67 EU citizens who were deported on grounds of criminality.
Last year, Ireland carried out six charter deportation flights, resulting in the removal of 205 people, comprising 182 people subject to deportation orders and 23 EU nationals.
The latest figures also highlight the continued increase in immigration enforcement activity. A total of 4,700 deportation orders were signed in 2025, representing a 96% increase on the previous year. So far in 2026, 2,108 deportation orders have been issued.
Government figures show that 1,122 people left the State through deportation or voluntary return in 2024, rising to 2,111 in 2025. So far this year, 1,034 people have departed through those mechanisms.
Voluntary returns have also increased significantly, rising from 934 in 2024 to 1,616 in 2025, with 712 voluntary returns recorded so far in 2026.
