The flight departed Dublin Airport at 5:05pm and landed in Johannesburg this morning at 4am at a cost of €585,075
The department said 54 adults were on board, and that each child on the flight belonged to family units.
The flight departed Dublin Airport at 5:05pm and landed in Johannesburg this morning at 4am Irish time at a cost of €585,075.
Accompanying the deportees were members of An Garda Síochána, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer.
This latest deportation order is the second such operation of the year and the eighth since the recommencement of charter flights to effect removals and deportation orders in 2025.
Charter flights provide an alternative to commercial flights in that they are more appropriate for transporting a group of individuals to the same destination, the department said.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. Photo: PA
News in 90 seconds – Sunday, March 1
Six charter flight operations in 2025 removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders from the State, and 23 EU nationals were removed on Removal Orders.
Commenting on the latest round of deportations, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said they are needed to ensure the legitimacy of Ireland’s immigration system.
“Charter flights are now a routine and essential part of immigration enforcement for the state. Without effective enforcement measures, our immigration laws would be undermined, and I want to ensure that there is public confidence in the application of our laws in this area,” he said.
“If a person does not have a legal permission to be in the State, or has been involved in criminality, they will be removed. I would like to thank the members of An Garda Síochána and officials from my department for their continued hard work in conducting these complex operations.”
Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Colm Brophy, said: “I would like to acknowledge that the majority of South African nationals resident in Ireland are doing so legally, having entered the State though the various legal pathways available.
“They are welcome and contribute immensely to our economy and society. I would also like to extend my thanks to members of An Garda Síochána and Department officials.”
Deportation orders increased by 96pc last year compared to 2024, with 4,700 deportation orders executed.
Meanwhile, both enforced and voluntary deportations from the State increased by 88pc last year compared to the year before with 2,111 having their departure confirmed through either of those pathways.