Charter deportations cost taxpayer €775,000

THE use of charter flights for deportations increased dramatically last year, costing the taxpayer €775,000, according to new figures.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau deported 277 people by charter flight last year, up from 44 in 2003 and 20 in 2002 - in line with the increased number of deportations over that period. But charter flights were only used for about one in five of the 1,725 deportations in the past three years.

The 12 flights chartered over the past three years have cost €1.36 million, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell confirmed. That does not include the cost of pay and overtime for gardaí.