Cost of deportations brought up in the Dail

Deportation Orders.

Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will furnish details of costs (details supplied); the breakdown of these costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy Dermot Ahern): The deportation of illegal immigrants and refused asylum seekers is costly, particularly to distant countries such as Nigeria, China, etc. In most cases removals are carried out using commercial flights which usually involves transit through other European airports as Ireland does not have direct flights to most of the countries of return. In addition, most flights have to be booked at short notice very near the date of departure which involves higher costs than if booked well in advance.

In considering the costs of deportations, the considerable expense arising from the continued presence in the State of persons who are the subject of deportation orders has to be taken into account. These costs include social welfare costs, direct provision costs, and detention costs in certain cases. While it is important to keep deportation costs to a minimum, not to remove persons refused permission to remain in the State would call into question the integrity of the entire immigration system. This would leave this country open to further illegal immigration and even more expense to taxpayers.

Contd

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20081218.XML&Node=H19-132#H19-132

Over €6.5m paid in just five years of deportations

The Department of Justice spent over €150,000 chartering a flight for a sole Ghanian failed asylum seeker earlier this year, the Sunday Tribune has learned.

Four years earlier, the department spent over €50,000 deporting a lone Gambian asylum seeker. The cost of flying one Romanian home came to just €1,000 in the same year. In total, the justice department has spent almost €6.5m deporting 1,493 failed asylum seekers over the past five years.

http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2008/dec/21/over-65m-paid-in-just-five-years-of-deportations/

Irish asylum case exposes major flaw in EU system

A MAJOR flaw in legislation could allow would-be refugees to repeatedly apply for asylum in a succession of different European Union countries.

The loophole, which is of potential benefit to hundreds of asylum seekers, allows a person to be readmitted to the Irish asylum system if they evade what's known as a "transfer order".

Under current arrangements, a person's asylum claim must be heard in the EU country where they first claim asylum. However, a case currently being dealt with by the Department of Justice has exposed a major failing in the legislation, one which could potentially delay the deportation process for years.

The person involved – who is believed to be an African national – arrived in Ireland in April of 2006 and applied for asylum here.

http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2008/aug/24/irish-asylum-case-exposes-major-flaw-in-eu-system/

Dramatic drop in deportations due to 'softer' approach

The number of would-be refugees being deported has dramatically fallen even though more than 6,000 failed asylum- seekers are classified as "evading deportation".

Immigration sources said it appeared a much softer approach was now being taken when it came to enforcing deportation orders, with only 43 people returned to their home in the first five months of the year.

Immigration sources said it appeared a much softer approach was now being taken when it came to enforcing deportation orders, with only 43 people returned to their home in the first five months of the year.

The numbers have shown a six-fold decline compared to 2004, when 599 people were deported. This year, the number is not expected to exceed 100, the lowest since large numbers of asylum-seekers began arriving in the state around a decade ago.

http://www.immigrationcontrol.org/news.html#latestnewsitem

http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2008/jul/27/dramatic-drop-in-deportations-due-to-softer-approa/

Just 20pc of non-EU prisoners deported

JUST one in five non-EU nationals has been deported after serving a prison sentence here, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Confidential new figures show more than 766 prisoners from outside Europe were released from Irish jails over the past seven years.

But only 128 of the most serious offenders were sent back to their home countries, leaving more than 638 former inmates unmonitored.

All non-EU prisoners are supposed to be considered for deportation since May 2005.

Deportations can take years if there is an appeal.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/just-20pc-of-noneu-prisoners-deported-1414667.html