Mohan Sinha
30 Jul 2026

DUBLIN, Ireland: Twenty-four convicted criminals were released from prison an average of seven and a half months early and then flown out of Ireland. They were placed on a charter flight costing 184,465 euros and sent to Poland and Lithuania in May.

Government briefing documents show that some of those removed had been convicted of serious crimes, including sexual offenses and domestic violence. However, officials noted that victims had been consulted in every case involving such offenses before the individuals were deported.

Another ten men on the same flight had already completed their prison sentences but had failed to leave the country as ordered. According to the documents, immigration officers located and detained them in the days leading up to the flight.

All 34 men on board were banned from returning to Ireland for periods ranging from three to ten years.

The records also reveal that 16 of those deported had drug-related crimes listed as their most serious offenses.

Officials prepared the Justice Minister, Jim O'Callaghan, for possible criticism, especially about the nationalities of those removed and whether they came from disadvantaged or minority groups. The prepared response stated that individuals were selected based on when their prison sentences ended or had already ended. It also clarified that factors such as ethnicity, race, or religion were not considered in the decision-making process.

Another briefing explained that Poland and Lithuania had the highest number of people who were either nearing the end of their sentences or had recently been released. This was given as the reason why the charter flight was organized to those countries.

The documents also said that those deported would be placed on watchlists and would be refused entry if they tried to return to Ireland before their ban expired.

Since 2020, nearly 300 EU citizens have been deported from Ireland, with the pace increasing this year. Officials explained that removing EU citizens is difficult because they have strong legal rights, and the State must show that they pose an ongoing risk before taking action. Each case must be handled carefully under the law.

In response to concerns about early release, officials said the minister could highlight that victims had been consulted in all relevant cases. They added that this approach was intended to reassure victims by ensuring that offenders were removed from the country.

A spokesperson for the Department said the law allows prisoners who are subject to deportation or removal orders to be taken out of the country up to 12 months before completing their sentences. The spokesperson stated that, in this case, 24 prisoners were released early for that purpose and that no serious offender was deported without consultation with police and victims. They also said that removing prisoners early prevents them from being released back into the community.

The spokesperson further noted that the average early-release period of seven and a half months did not account for the fact that some prisoners could have qualified for early release anyway due to good behavior.