By F. Dayo Olusola | M10News | June 7, 2025
Irish authorities have confirmed that 28 of the 35 individuals deported to Nigeria this week were held in custody ahead of their removal on a charter flight, with an average detention period of 27 days.
The figures were disclosed by the Department of Justice in response to a query submitted on Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin on RTÉ Radio One.
In a statement, the Department explained that individuals subject to deportation orders may be held for up to 56 days “to ensure their deportation from the State.” It said this window allows time to procure travel documentation and finalise flight arrangements.
The department did not specify the locations where the deportees had been held before Thursday’s flight to Nigeria.
However, it stated that there are a number of designated detention facilities across the country, including Castlerea Prison, Cloverhill Prison, Cork Prison, Limerick Prison, Midlands Prison, and Wheatfield Prison.
It is understood that women facing deportation are typically detained at the Dóchas Centre, a women’s facility in Dublin. Garda stations can also serve as holding locations for immigration detainees.
Fianna Fáil Minister of State Charlie McConalogue, speaking on the RTÉ programme, said detentions before deportation are sometimes necessary but should remain exceptional. “Hopefully, it’s in a small number of circumstances,” he said.
McConlogue added that, to his knowledge, “there were no detentions” in the case of the women and children on the flight, suggesting those individuals had received advance notice of their removal.
However, the passenger breakdown released by officials listed 21 men, nine women, and five children, implying that some women had been detained before deportation.
The mass removal has sparked criticism across the political spectrum. Speaking on the same programme, Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin accused the government of using the high-profile deportations to deflect from broader policy failures.
“There is no doubt that part of what the very high-profile nature of Minister O’Callaghan’s actions has done is to try and distract attention away from their failures in terms of running an international protection system that is compassionate, that is human rights-rooted, but also that is fair, efficient and ultimately enforced,” he said.
Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney described Thursday’s deportations as “the stuff of nightmares” for the children who were removed from the country, and for those left behind who witnessed their peers being taken by Garda officers.
SOURCES
– RTÉ Radio One: Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin, June 2025
– Department of Justice (Ireland), Statement
– Comments by Charlie McConalogue TD, Eoin Ó Broin TD, and Sinéad Gibney TD
Published by: https://m10news.com
By: F. Dayo Olusola
Category: Immigration | Ireland | Nigeria
