Ireland has deported 42 South African nationals who were residing in the country without legal authorization, flying them back to Johannesburg on a chartered flight that departed Dublin Airport on Thursday and landed in South Africa on Friday morning, as part of an escalating enforcement drive the Irish government said was necessary to maintain public confidence in its immigration system.
The deportee group comprised 9 men, 18 women, and 15 children who were removed as part of their family units. Two of the individuals in the group held criminal convictions in Ireland.
Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the vast majority of South Africans in Ireland resided there legally and that the enforcement action was targeted at those who did not. He said a rules-based and robust immigration system required consistent enforcement to function effectively.
In a related immigration policy development, Ireland introduced new visa requirements making it mandatory for citizens of Saint Lucia, Nicaragua, and Saint Kitts and Nevis to obtain entry documents before travelling to Ireland, with the new rules taking effect on June 15, 2026.
