Forty-three Georgian nationals, including three children, have been deported from Ireland on a charter flight as part of the State’s latest immigration enforcement operation.
The operation was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau on Sunday on foot of immigration orders issued by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan.
Those removed from the State comprised 33 adult men, seven adult women and three children. The three children were members of one family group.
Gardaí confirmed that four of the men deported had previously been convicted of offences in Ireland.
Forty-two of the 43 people were removed on foot of deportation orders issued under the Immigration Act 1999.
One adult man was removed under a Return Decision issued pursuant to the International Protection Act 2026.
The charter flight departed Dublin Airport at 1.50 pm on Sunday and arrived in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, at approximately 6.40 pm Irish time.
Those being returned were accompanied by members of An Garda Síochána, medical staff, an interpreter and an independent human rights observer.
The cost of providing the outbound and return charter flights was €225,575, excluding VAT.
Minister O’Callaghan said the operation was the sixth charter deportation carried out by the State so far this year.
He said deportations were an important part of maintaining a rules-based immigration system and ensuring that existing legal migration pathways were followed.
The Minister also stressed that the “vast majority” of Georgian nationals living in Ireland are legally resident in the State and make a positive contribution to Irish society.
The Government operates a voluntary return programme for people without legal status in Ireland, including those whose international protection applications have been withdrawn or refused.
Voluntary return is the Government’s preferred option before a deportation ord
er is issued.
A total of 221 people have now been removed from Ireland through charter flight operations so far in 2026.
The Department of Justice has confirmed that further charter deportation operations are expected to take place during the remainder of the year.
