A deportation operation at Dublin Airport last year. The latest of four such operations took place on Thursday, when 42 people were deported to South Africa. Photograph: An Garda Síochána
The Irish government has deported 42 South African nationals who were living illegally in the country back to Johannesburg, spending €735,000 (approximately $845,000) on the initial enforcement operation.
According to The Irish Times, the individuals, comprising nine men, 18 women, and 15 children travelling within family units, were escorted from Dublin Airport on a charter flight on Thursday and landed in South Africa on Friday morning, marking the fourth major deportation charter flight conducted by Ireland so far this year.
The individuals were reportedly removed from the State on foot of deportation orders by the Garda National Immigration Bureau, which is issued if an individual is deemed to be living illegally in the State and does not take up an option for voluntary return to their home country.
The Irish authorities also disclosed that two of the deported individuals held prior criminal convictions in Ireland.
