DUBLIN — In one of its most decisive enforcement actions this year, the Irish government has deported 42 South African nationals who were found to be living illegally in the country. The mass removal, which cost the Irish state an estimated €735,000 (roughly 14 million Rand) for a single chartered flight, departed Dublin Airport and landed in Johannesburg on Friday morning. Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, defended the operation, stating that a “rules-based and robust” approach is essential to maintaining public confidence in the nation’s immigration framework. The move comes amid a massive 96% spike in deportation orders signed over the past year as European nations continue to tighten their borders.
Ireland has deported 42 South African nationals who were found to be living in the country illegally, with all of them arriving in Johannesburg on Friday aboard a chartered flight.
The group consisted of nine men, 18 women, and 15 children, with the minors deported alongside their families as units. They had departed Dublin Airport on Thursday afternoon before landing in South Africa the following morning.
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Reports from The Irish Times on June 19, 2026, also revealed that two of the deported individuals had prior criminal convictions while residing in Ireland.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, commented that while most South Africans in the country are living there legally, the government remains committed to enforcing immigration laws.
He stressed that the Irish immigration system must stay “rules-based and robust”, adding that deportations and other enforcement measures are necessary to maintain order and public confidence in the system.
In a related development, Ireland has also announced updated visa rules affecting travellers from selected countries.
Under the new policy, citizens of Saint Lucia, Nicaragua, and Saint Kitts and Nevis will now be required to obtain a visa before entering Ireland. The changes officially took effect on June 15, 2026.
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