Thirty-eight people were deported from Ireland in the first four months of the year. 

The figure represents less than 10% of the 444 deportation orders issued by the State and was released as part of a parliamentary question to Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan.

Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, Irish Times Political Correspondent Harry McGee said a lack of exit controls means exact numbers are impossible to supply.  

“Enforced deportations occur when the person who has been deported refuses to stay in the State and essentially remains in an illegal capacity,” he said. 

“It is an extremist response to people who are remaining without any leave to remain. 

“The Government claims that most of whom the deportation orders are served, leave the State voluntarily. 

“Unfortunately, because we don’t have any exit controls at our borders, it’s impossible to tell how many leave and how many stay.”

Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport.

Mr McGee said the number of enforced deportations has been “very low” in recent years but he expects it will increase in the months ahead. 

“Even if we get over 100 this year - which looks like the projection - it’s still lower than the figure for 2019 when we had far less people seeking international protection coming to Ireland,” he said. 

“We essentially suspended the deportation operations during COVID and we were slow to restart that once COVID came to end. 

“When the situation in relation to numbers escalated last year, I think one of the responses the Government has come to - its critics would argue belatedly - has been to restart the enforced deportation procedure. 

“So, we’re beginning to see the beginning of that now in the first four months of 2024.” 

In the first four months of 2024, the number of international protection applicants increased by 95% in comparison to last year. 

However, Mr McGee said the figures are worth putting into context. 

“[Asylum seekers] do still compromise about a fraction of all those who come into the country with legal permission to work,” he said. 

“Well over 100,000 come in every year to work in our economy from countries all over the world.” 

Main image: An airbus at Dublin Airport.