The whereabouts of more than half those issued with deportation orders is unknown, the Justice Minister has confirmed in replies to Parliamentary Questions by Aontú.
The State cannot account for a substantial number of individuals issued with deportation orders, as there are no routine checks at Irish borders, Aontú PQ’s have revealed.
Party leader Peadar Tóibín said: “The State cannot confirm whether many people who have received deportation orders have actually departed. The Department has acknowledged that a very significant number are simply assumed to have left, based on limited sampling rather than comprehensive records.”
“In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were issued, yet the whereabouts of over 55% of those individuals 2,589 people cannot be confirmed. While the Minister assumes they have departed the State, there is no official record of their exit, with only 2,111 cases formally confirmed.”
“It is worth noting that not all arrivals are required to reside in IPAS accommodation and may source accommodation independently. This raises serious concerns about the State’s ability to maintain visibility over individuals’ circumstances, particularly where no identification is available.
“It creates a situation in which individuals may remain in the State without effective oversight, where their living conditions are unknown, and where risks such as exploitation, homelessness or trafficking cannot be ruled out.”
The replies also show that the State does not routinely collect data on how long individuals subject to deportation orders remain in IPAS accommodation.
“More than 800 people with active deportation orders are currently residing in IPAS centres despite having received refusal decisions, and there are no statutory or administrative limits on how long this may continue.”
Aontú’s by-election candidate for Dublin Central, Ian Noel Smyth added: “Decisions are made, accommodation is withdrawn, yet the Government cannot say with certainty where many individuals are or whether they remain in the country.”
“Aontú supports genuine refugees but we need a faster asylum system that distinguishes humanitarian protection from economic migration, underpinned by an Irish Sea border, effective entry and exit checks, and clear accountability once decisions issue.”
