Controversy flares over recent deportation of families and young children

Extra.ie​

4 hours ago

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan was told to emphasise the 'nous and soft skills' of gardaí as controversy flared over the recent deportation of families and young children from Ireland.
In a briefing on the removal of school-going children to Nigeria, the minister was told families could have avoided this outcome and returned voluntarily to their country.
A Q&A prepared for Mr O'Callaghan said he was 'very conscious' of questions over whether Irish people would be comfortable with the enforced removal of Irish-born children. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
When asked about it, a suggested answer for him said: 'It's one of the reasons that we are very lucky to have people in An Garda Síochána with the nous and the soft skills to manage what can be a difficult human experience for all the people concerned.'
The details were contained in a series of briefings for the Justice Minister on how to tackle tricky questions about expensive deportation charter flights to Nigeria and Georgia.
The briefing said he should also be prepared for questions on whether the three charter flights – which together have cost at least €530,000 – were just for 'optics.'
On how to respond, the minister was told: 'Forced deportations like these are the last option, not the first.'
If asked about whether it was a good use of scarce Garda resources, Mr O'Callaghan was advised to emphasise how such operations needed to be done safely and with 'respect for the dignity' of those removed.
The Q&A said: 'This may well be a difficult experience for the people being deported, which may include families with young children.'
On value-for-money issues, the minister was given talking points saying that costs were 'relatively comparable' to removals on commercial flights.
One suggested answer said: 'No specific cost-benefit analysis was carried out for the use of charters.'
For a deportation flight to Nigeria, it said that one of the people on the flight had no fewer than 25 convictions.
These were for theft, making gain by loss or deception, possession of drugs and numerous driving offences.
On another deportation jet travelling to Georgia, one person had 63 convictions including money laundering, theft, and also the organisation of illegal immigration. Justice Minister Jim Callaghan. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Internal briefing documents said the absence of a human rights observer on a flight to Nigeria was 'deeply regrettable' but 'unavoidable.'
Mr O'Callaghan was advised to expect queries on why a human rights report on the charter was not released publicly.
If questioned, he was told to say he was 'happy it reflects very well on the operation.'
The briefing added: 'I'm considering the question of publication but need to be sure that it won't have any operational implications.'
Mr O'Callaghan was also told to be prepared for questions on the detention of unsuccessful asylum applicants in often overcrowded jails ahead of the deportation flights.
A Q&A document said: 'The simple fact is that if people know that they are going to be removed, they may abscond.'
He said this was based on garda intelligence and that while people could be held for up to 56 days, it was usually 'significantly less.'
On whether women had been imprisoned, Mr O'Callaghan was told two were held in jail but that they were not mothers of children aged under 18.
Asked about the documents, a department spokesman said: 'The Minister recognises that an enforced removal is an unfortunate and challenging experience for a child, which is why they are carried out only as a measure of last resort when the family concerned has not removed themselves from the State as they are legally required to.
'Children have only been returned as part of family units. The preferred option is to return people voluntarily.'