Gardaí confirmed that 24 Romanian men, aged 24 to 57, have been deported from Ireland under immigration orders issued by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan.
The men were removed on a charter flight that departed Dublin Airport at 4:25 pm and landed in Bucharest at 8:00 pm Irish time, RTE has reported.
Gardaí confirmed that all 24 men have criminal convictions in Ireland and have served custodial sentences.
Eighteen of the men were taken directly from prison to be deported.
According to RTE, this latest operation brings the total number of removals under the Free Movement Directive to 148 this year, with the Department of Justice confirming the charter flight cost €182,270.
"Restricting the right to freedom of movement of European citizens is not a measure I take lightly, but there must be consequences if a person’s criminal behaviour means they should no longer be entitled to access this privilege. I will take action if our laws are not upheld and this includes enforcing removal orders for individuals who are a danger to the public," Minister O'Callaghan said.
"The enforcement of removal orders and use of charter flights demonstrates my commitment to taking effective action in this area," he continued.
The men were accompanied on the flight by gardaí, medical personnel, interpreters, and a human rights observer, RTE has reported.
Minister O'Callaghan thanked the gardaí, his department, and the Irish Prison Service for successfully executing the operation.
