DUBLIN — A charter flight carrying 24 adult men was sent from Dublin Airport to Islamabad, Pakistan, yesterday in the fourth such deportation operation of its kind this year. The Department of Justice confirmed that the flight, which departed at 7 pm yesterday and arrived in Islamabad this morning, was used to deport Pakistani nationals who were subject to deportation orders.
The Department stated that the use of chartered flights has “significantly bolstered” the capacity of An Garda Síochána to enforce a greater number of deportation orders. This latest operation brings the total number of people removed by charter flights in 2025 to 130 since the program was re-commenced in February.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Minister for Migration Colm Brophy defended the use of these flights as a “vital enforcement tool” to uphold the integrity of the immigration system.
“If a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State, they must do so,” said Minister O’Callaghan. “If they choose not to leave voluntarily, they will be forced to leave. We must hold firm on this principle because deportations are an essential part of any immigration system.”
The government has previously faced criticism over the cost and human rights aspects of these operations. A chartered flight to Nigeria on June 4th cost close to €325,000 to deport 35 people, an operation Minister O’Callaghan described as “value for money.” There was also criticism in June when it was revealed that no independent human rights observer was on board that flight.
In addition to charter flights, the Department has also enforced 132 deportation orders on commercial flights and confirmed that 40 people have left Ireland unescorted this year. The government’s Voluntary Return Programme has also seen an increase in use, with 1,175 people leaving voluntarily so far in 2025, compared to 934 last year.
Ministers O’Callaghan and Brophy both stressed that the majority of people arriving in Ireland follow legal pathways and that the government’s actions are aimed at those who do not comply with the system’s rules.
