Ireland has deported 42 South African nationals, including 15 children, as part of its fourth charter deportation flight of the year.
The group left Dublin Airport on Thursday afternoon and arrived in Johannesburg on Friday morning following an operation led by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
The charter flight cost an initial €735,000 excluding VAT for the return journey, although Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the final cost of the operation will not be known until the invoicing process has been completed.
Those removed from the State included nine men, 18 women and 15 children, with the Department of Justice confirming that all of the children were travelling as part of family units.
According to the Department of Justice, the individuals were deported after being issued with deportation orders. Such orders are applied where a person is deemed to be living illegally in the State and has not taken up the option of voluntary return.
The department also confirmed that two of those deported had criminal convictions in Ireland.
The returnees were accompanied by Garda personnel, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer during the journey.
Defending the operation, Mr O’Callaghan said Ireland's immigration system must be "rules-based and robust". While noting that most South African nationals living in Ireland are legally resident and make a positive contribution to society, he argued that enforcement measures such as deportation orders are essential to maintaining public confidence in the immigration system.
Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy similarly said Ireland welcomes migrants who play an important role in the country's economic, social and community life, but said people must use the legal pathways available to enter the State.
Thursday's flight marks the latest step in a broader tightening of immigration enforcement measures. It was the fourth charter deportation flight carried out in 2026, following three earlier operations that resulted in 130 removals, including 67 EU nationals deported because of criminality.
In 2025, six charter flights removed 205 people from Ireland, including 182 people subject to deportation orders and 23 EU citizens.
The number of deportation orders has risen sharply in recent years. Official figures show 4,700 deportation orders were signed last year, up 96% on 2024 levels. A further 2,108 orders have been signed so far this year.
Separately, 1,122 people left Ireland through enforced deportation or voluntary return in 2024, increasing to 2,111 in 2025. The figure currently stands at 1,034 for 2026.
Voluntary returns have also grown, rising from 934 in 2024 to 1,616 last year, while 712 people have voluntarily returned to their home countries so far this year.
