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No fewer than 60 South Africans, including 28 men, 26 women and nine children, have been deported from Ireland. Among the deportees were 10 South African nationals who had been convicted of offences in Ireland.
According to the Irish News, the deportation was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau on Saturday following orders issued by the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan.
The deportees reportedly left Dublin, Ireland’s capital, on a chartered flight on Saturday and arrived in South Africa on Sunday. They were accompanied by Garda officials, medical staff, an interpreter, and a human rights observer. O’Callaghan noted that the deportation was carried out as part of the country’s immigration law enforcement.
“Charter flights are now a routine and essential part of immigration enforcement for the state. Without effective enforcement measures, our immigration laws would be undermined, and I want to ensure public confidence in their application in this area,” the Irish Minister of Justice said.
Ireland’s Minister of State, Colm Brophy, however, noted that some South African nationals abide by the country’s immigration law, adding that legal migrants are welcome in the country.
“I would like to acknowledge that the majority of South African nationals resident in Ireland are doing so legally, having entered the state through the various legal pathways available. They are welcome and contribute immensely to our economy and society.”
