Ireland has deported 42 South African nationals, including 15 children, on a government-chartered flight from Dublin to Johannesburg, as part of ongoing efforts to enforce the country’s immigration laws.
The Irish Department of Justice confirmed that the operation was carried out on Thursday by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) under deportation orders issued by Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan.
According to the department, the group comprised nine men, 18 women and 15 minors. The authorities stressed that all the children were part of family units and were not deported separately.
The charter flight departed Dublin Airport at 3:30 p.m. local time on Thursday and arrived in Johannesburg at approximately 4:00 a.m. Irish time on Friday.
The deportees were accompanied by members of An Garda Síochána, medical personnel, an interpreter and an independent human rights observer.
Irish authorities disclosed that two of the deported individuals had been convicted of criminal offences in Ireland. Their removal formed part of broader enforcement operations being undertaken nationwide by the Garda.
The Department of Justice said the charter operation cost €735,000, excluding VAT, for the return journey. It was the fourth deportation charter flight organised by Irish authorities in 2026.
According to official figures, three previous charter flights this year removed a total of 130 individuals from Ireland, including 67 European Union citizens who were deported on grounds related to criminality.
Defending the operation, Minister O’Callaghan said effective enforcement was essential to maintaining confidence in Ireland’s immigration system.
“Our immigration system must be rules-based and robust. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively,” he said.
The minister also emphasised that the deportations should not be viewed as representative of the wider South African community living in Ireland.
He noted that the vast majority of South African nationals residing in Ireland do so legally and make positive contributions to Irish society.
Ireland’s Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, similarly stated that migrants play an important role in the country’s economic and social development but stressed that migration must occur through lawful channels.
The Department of Justice indicated that additional charter deportation flights are expected to take place before the end of 2026 as part of the government’s immigration enforcement strategy.
