Special deportation fights will be operating by the end of the year to remove people who don't have permission to remain in Ireland, the Justice Minister has said.
The Government has started a tendering process for chartered deportation flights from the State.
The Department of Justice says charter flights, which are an alternative to commercial flights, "can be more appropriate in circumstances when a group of individuals are being removed to the same destination".
"This will increase the options available to An Garda Síochána to effect removals and deportations," it adds.
Some 860 deportation orders have been signed this year with over 295 people being departed from the State.
The number of persons availing of voluntary returns has more than doubled compared to 2023 - from 97 to 227.
People outside the International Protection Office in Dublin, 25-1-23. Image: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ieJustice Minister Helen McEntee says there is a major increase in the number of immigration decisions.
"I am committed to ensuring the State's immigration processes are robust, effective and fair," she said.
"With a major increase in the number of decisions issuing on International Protection cases it is now time to increase our capacity to remove people from the State whose applications have been refused and who do not have permission to remain in the State.
"A charter service will increase our options in this regard."
Minister McEntee said such charter deportation flights will be an "additional operational and enforcement resource for An Garda Síochána".
"Subject to the successful completion of the tender process and other relevant arrangements, I intend to see charter flights operational by the end of the year," she added.
A request for tender for deportation flights has been published on the e-Tenders website with a closing date of July 17th.
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney has previously said the State needs to act if failed asylum seekers refuse to leave.
