By Rahim Abdul
Forty-two South African nationals have been deported from Ireland after failing to comply with deportation orders issued by the Irish government.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed that the group was flown from Dublin to Johannesburg aboard a specially chartered flight on Thursday.
According to Irish authorities, those deported included nine men, 18 women and 15 children, with officials stressing that all the minors were travelling with their families.
The Department of Justice said the deportation exercise was conducted by the Garda National Immigration Bureau with support from medical personnel, an interpreter and an independent human rights observer.
Minister O’Callaghan said the operation was aimed at ensuring that Ireland’s immigration laws are respected and enforced.
“Our immigration system must be rules-based and robust. Deportation orders are essential to ensure public confidence in the application of our laws,” he said.
The minister, however, noted that the majority of South Africans living in Ireland are legally resident and continue to make positive contributions to the country’s economy and society.
Authorities further revealed that two of the deportees had previous criminal convictions in Ireland and were removed as part of ongoing law enforcement operations.
The latest deportation flight is the fourth charter operation conducted by Ireland this year. Earlier operations have already resulted in the removal of 130 people from the country.
Irish officials said more deportation operations are expected later this year as the government continues to tighten enforcement of immigration regulations while maintaining legal migration pathways for foreign nationals.
