An Garda Síochána’s National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) carried out a large–scale removal operation on Sunday, 20 September, placing 43 Georgian nationals on a charter flight from Dublin to Tbilisi. According to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, 42 of the returnees were subject to Deportation Orders issued under the Immigration Act 1999, while one individual was removed under the new provisions of the International Protection Act 2026. Four of the people on board had criminal convictions in Ireland. The flight departed Dublin Airport at 13:50 and landed in Tbilisi at 18:40 Irish time. It was staffed by Garda escorts, medical personnel, an interpreter and an independent human-rights observer. Charter specialist Air Partner was contracted for the return service at a cost of €225,575 (ex-VAT). The Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the operation “maintains public confidence that our migration system remains rules-based and robust”, while Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy praised officials for conducting the “complex and sensitive” mission. Sunday’s charter is the sixth such removal flight this year, bringing the total number of people deported by charter in 2026 to 221. Overall, 3,381 deportation orders have been signed so far this year and 1,677 people have left the State through enforced or voluntary return mechanisms. Under Ireland’s voluntary-return programme, unsuccessful protection applicants can apply for financial assistance of up to €6,000 per family if they depart before a deportation order is made. The scale of Sunday’s operation underscores the Government’s tougher stance on overstaying and failed asylum claims ahead of Ireland’s likely participation in the EU–Nigeria returns pact. Employers should ensure that right-to-work checks and immigration documentation remain up-to-date; overstaying staff or family members now face a higher likelihood of enforcement. Migrants whose applications are rejected are being encouraged to avail of voluntary return before orders issue—once a deportation order is signed, access to future Irish visas is extremely limited. For companies managing global mobility programmes, the message is clear: compliance scrutiny is intensifying. Immigration advisers recommend early intervention when staff receive negative decisions and prompt exploration of alternative Irish permissions (for example, Critical Skills Permits) to avoid the reputational and cost risks that accompany enforced removal flights.
Source: An Garda Síochána / IrishCentral
