The Garda National Immigration Bureau removed 43 Georgian nationals from the State on 20 September via a special charter flight to Tbilisi. Forty-two were subject to deportation orders issued under the Immigration Act 1999; one had received a ‘return decision’ under the newly enacted International Protection Act 2026. Four of the men deported had criminal convictions in Ireland. The mass return operation, conducted in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service, is part of a policy shift toward faster enforcement of final asylum and immigration decisions. Deportations had slowed during the pandemic but have risen 62 % in the past year, according to GNIB data. Georgian nationals account for a growing share of EU asylum applications, with Ireland receiving 1,240 claims last year—many deemed inadmissible under the “safe country of origin” list. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has reiterated that legitimate routes for Georgian workers remain open through the A-typical Working Scheme and intra-company transfer permits. Employers with staff from visa-required countries are advised to monitor permission expiry dates closely; overstaying can now trigger accelerated removal, impacting future travel eligibility under the EU Entry/Exit System launching next year.
Source: An Garda Síochána press release
