Ireland is preparing for a rise in deportation and removal flights after the Department of Justice issued a new five-year tender valued at approximately €14 million. The contract would expand the State’s capacity to organise charter flights for people who do not have permission to remain in the country.
Key points in today’s Ireland news
- The Department of Justice has issued a tender estimated at €14 million, excluding VAT.
- The proposed contract will run for five years.
- Seven charter flights in 2026 had removed 245 people by the time of the tender notice.
- The previous three-year tender, issued in 2024, was valued at €5 million.
- The department expects demand for return operations to increase in the coming years.
Why deportation flights are expected to rise
The Department of Justice said the new procurement process reflects an anticipated increase in demand for return operations. It also said the tender is designed to cover higher chartering costs and give the State greater capacity to operate flights than under the existing arrangement.
The department linked the expected demand to large numbers of people seeking international protection or trying to enter Ireland through other routes. It said that not everyone who applies will receive permission to remain and that some people without permission do not leave voluntarily.
In response, the State has increased the processing capacity of its Immigration Services. The new tender is intended to support the next stage of that system by providing aircraft and the specialist services required to carry out group removals.
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How many people have been removed on charter flights?
Seven charter flights carried out during 2026 had removed 245 people from the State, according to the Department of Justice. That figure included 91 EU citizens removed on criminality grounds.
The department said six charter flights operated during 2025, removing 205 people. Five of those operations involved non-EU destinations and accounted for 182 people. A further flight removed 23 EU citizens on criminality grounds.
The figures show that charter operations have become a more established part of Ireland’s removal system since they resumed in 2025. However, the department’s figures cover charter flights and do not represent every removal carried out through commercial aviation or other arrangements.
What the €14m deportation flight contract covers
The proposed agreement is broader than simply hiring aircraft. The successful provider will be expected to coordinate a range of services needed to support removals by An Garda Síochána.
These services include:
- Charter aircraft and non-scheduled air transport
- Travel management and airport operations
- Airport slot coordination
- Air traffic control arrangements
- Refuelling services
- Other operational support connected with return flights
Chartered aircraft can be used when a group of people is being returned to the same destination. The Department of Justice said this approach gives Gardaí more options than relying solely on individual commercial flights.
Costs of previous removal flights
The tender documents provide examples of the cost of recent charter operations. A flight to South Africa in June cost an estimated €735,000 and removed 42 people. Another South Africa operation in February cost approximately €585,075 and carried 63 people.
A flight to Pakistan in September 2025 cost an estimated €473,000 and removed 24 people. Costs can vary significantly depending on the destination, aircraft requirements, security arrangements, airport charges and the number of passengers involved.
The new tender’s estimated value is almost three times the value of the previous contract, although the two agreements cover different periods. The earlier tender was estimated at €5 million over three years, while the new proposal is valued at €14 million over five years. Both figures exclude VAT.
What happens to the existing contract?
The Department of Justice said its current contract with Air Partner Ltd is close to its conclusion because it is nearing its contract value. That agreement was signed in November 2024.
The new procurement process is therefore intended to provide continuity while expanding the State’s ability to organise future return operations. The tender documents indicate that the department expects demand to grow during the next year and increase further in later years.
What this means for Ireland’s immigration system
The tender is part of a wider effort to increase the number of people whose immigration cases are processed and, where required, returned. It does not mean that every person seeking international protection will be removed. Each case remains subject to the relevant legal and administrative procedures.
It does indicate, however, that the Government expects deportation and removal activity to become a larger operational requirement. The increased spending limit would allow the State to plan more group flights and maintain access to the airport, aviation and security services needed for them.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the new deportation flight tender worth?
The Department of Justice has estimated the value of the five-year tender at approximately €14 million, excluding VAT.
How many charter flights took place in 2026?
Seven charter flights had taken place in 2026 at the time of the department’s statement, removing 245 people from Ireland.
Why does the State use charter flights?
Charter flights can be suitable when several people are being returned to the same destination. They provide an alternative to arranging separate commercial flights and can give An Garda Síochána additional operational flexibility.
Does the tender change the legal process for deportation?
No. The tender concerns transport and related services. Decisions about permission to remain, removal and deportation continue to operate under the applicable immigration law and procedures.
What happens next?
The procurement process will determine which provider supplies charter aircraft and associated services for the next five-year period. The Department of Justice has not provided a complete schedule of future flights, and specific operations may depend on legal decisions, destinations, passenger numbers and operational planning.
For readers following the latest Irish news, the clearest immediate development is the scale of the planned capacity. The Government is preparing for more return operations, while the practical details of individual flights are likely to emerge through official announcements and Garda or Department of Justice updates.
The wider significance
Ireland’s new deportation flight tender points to a significant expansion of the State’s planned return infrastructure. With the estimated contract value rising to €14 million and the department forecasting increased demand, charter operations are set to play a more prominent role in immigration enforcement.
The key takeaway is that Ireland is not simply renewing an existing aviation contract; it is preparing for a larger and more sustained programme of return operations over the next five years.