24 men deported to Romania on chartered flight
Twenty-four Romanian men aged between 24 and 57 were deported from Ireland on foot of Immigration Orders from Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan, gardaí have said.
On October 18, 2026, 24 Romanian men, aged between 24 and 57, were deported from Ireland due to their criminal histories, according to Immigration Orders issued by Minister for Justice Jim O Callaghan. The men were transported on a chartered flight departing Dublin Airport at 4.25pm and arriving in Bucharest at 8pm Irish time. All 24 men had prior convictions in Ireland and received custodial sentences.
Eighteen of them were already serving prison terms and were removed directly from custody. This marks the 148th deportation under the Free Movement Directive in Ireland this year. The Department of Justice revealed that procuring the aircraft for this operation cost €182,270. Justice Minister O Callaghan emphasized that restricting the right to freedom of movement is taken seriously only when a person's criminal behavior warrants it.
He stated that he will take action if Irish laws are not upheld, including enforcing removal orders for dangerous individuals. Another deportation flight, carrying 24 Romanian nationals convicted of crimes in Ireland, departed Dublin on the same day and reached Bucharest safely. The operation involved gardaí, medical staff, interpreters, and a human rights observer, with Minister O Callaghan expressing gratitude to all involved.
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