| Minister for Justice, Internal Affairs, and Migration Jim O’Callaghan | Photo: Social Media |
Ireland has enforced a major EU citizen deportation, removing 33 European Union citizens—17 from Poland (16 men and 1 woman) and 16 from Lithuania (15 men and 1 woman)—after they completed sentences for severe crimes in Irish prisons. The deportees had been convicted of serious offenses such as armed robbery, organized theft, drug offenses, assault, and sexual and domestic violence. All individuals deported are subject to an entry ban prohibiting them from returning to Ireland for up to 10 years.
Minister for Justice, Internal Affairs, and Migration Jim O’Callaghan stated: “The right to freedom of movement is one of the most fundamental rights and freedoms afforded to the citizens of Europe, which we seek to protect… The restriction of the right to freedom of movement is a step I take with the utmost seriousness, but there must be consequences if a person’s behavior forfeits their entitlement to that privilege. Where our laws are not respected, I will take action, including enforcing exclusion orders against individuals who pose a threat to the community and people of Ireland.”
He added that the vast majority of Polish and Lithuanian citizens residing in Ireland respect the laws and make a positive contribution to society.
The operation involved considerable expense and manpower. The round-trip cost for the dedicated aircraft used in the deportation totaled €122,000. Furthermore, according to the Madeinvilnius portal, the deportees were escorted by 150 Irish officials. Notably, all Lithuanian citizens were released immediately upon arriving in Vilnius, as none were sought by Lithuanian authorities or had any outstanding issues with local law enforcement.
